Scattered Petals
by VagueJester
Summary: AU where after a job goes horribly wrong Ruby, an internationally known grifter and information broker teams up with Weiss, the heiress of one of the largest energy companies in the world in order find what was once thought lost. Might be some OOC
1. Chapter 1: A Brief Introduction

**A/N So this is my first fic, and it would be much appreciated if I could get some feedback. I hope to be updating this every other week, but being a University student, my free time is limited. As usual don't like it, don't read it. Reviews appreciated. Have a nice day!X-)**

School trip today. The art class was headed to the Museum of Modern Art for the day to get inspiration for their final projects. But the only thing on Ruby's mind was how painfully slow the busses were. They had just arrived and it was already noon. She stood with the rest of the students, hitched her backpack higher on her shoulders and readjusted her skirt.

_God, I hate these uniforms._

She danced up the steps to the tune of the midday traffic along Fifty Third Street, skirting around a gaggle of girls giggling like thirteen year olds, to the front of the group right in front of her teacher.

"Now students," Mr. Porter began, "The exhibition we'll be visiting today comes from the Vatican itself, on loan from the-"

"Mr. Porter!" Ruby jumped excitedly.

"Yes?"

"Where's the bathroom?"

"Back in the lobby, but don't take too long the tour is already starting."

"Yes sir, I'll be quick!"

Ruby headed toward the front of the building, looking over her shoulder to see if the older teacher was watching her movements. She almost felt bad for lying to such a nice old man.

Almost.

Back in the front lobby, Ruby proceeded to buy out the entire row of cookies in one of the vending machines. Though it pained her to do so, she waited until no one was watching, and dumped them into a trashcan, migrating back toward the gallery proper. Her head periscoped about, and Ruby darted down a hallway on her immediate left, having swiped a keycard from the creepy old security guard leering at the her skirted classmates as they entered the building. Even with the teacher right there, Ruby caught his gaze sinking just below the waists of her classmates as they filed in.

_Pathetic._

When this whole thing was done, and they searched whose card it was, she hoped they blamed him.

_Hope they fire him. Pervert._

She jimmied the lock to the second broom closet and stripped, exchanging the pleated, calf-length skirt and itchy vest for a grey, high-waisted pencil skirt and white button-up blouse. She popped the top two buttons open at her cleavage and tore her fingers through her braid, raking and smoothing her jet black hair into a polished bun. She pulled a few bits of hair around her face to conceal her features, added a pair of square-framed glasses, black pumps, and an I.D. badge she'd forged after some early reconnaissance of the gallery five weeks ago.

The whole process took her thirty-six seconds.

_Dammit._

She was getting slower.

She shoved the uniform into a yellow mop bucket and went back to the service entrance, hitching a right and finding the elevator leading down to the restoration room.

"Hey!"

Ruby's lips twitched in excitement.

_Show time._

"Hello there," Ruby said, smiling brightly.

A rumpled man with more hair on his lip than his head was coming her way. "Who are you?"

"Elizabeth Woodhouse, Mr. Phillips. The intern from London's National?" Her seamless slip into some amalgamated Oxbridge accent was as natural as breathing. "I'm quite pleased to meet you, since you missed the meeting earlier."

"Meeting? What meeting?"

"Didn't your assistant tell you?" Ruby asked. "That my supervisor and I were coming by to oversee the Caravaggio transfer?"

"We had the meeting Tuesday. You weren't there."

"Of course not! We only flew in yesterday. You must give a lady proper time to recover from jetlag."

Mr. Phillips did not seem to know how to take this comment.

"Now, you must hurry, Mr. Phillips. Dr. Penny is waiting for you in your office."

"Dr. Penny?! Dr. Nikolaus Penny?!"

"Yes," Ruby said softly, feigning confusion. "Mr. Phillips, you did receive our itinerary, did you not?"

"Well, yes! Of course I did! The shipment we received—"

"And you did notify the director of Dr. Penny's arrival?"

Mr. Phillips's face shattered.

"Mr. Phillips!" Ruby shrieked. "You mean to tell me the Director of the National Gallery of London is simply sitting in your office with no one to receive him?"

"I—I—I—"

"Please, Mr. Phillips, that is quite enough. You Americans…" Ruby waved a hand to her brow, pressing fingers into her temple as if she were deeply upset. "I don't know why you're still standing here talking to me! Please take Dr. Penny down to the collections preparatory room as soon as possible! We're going to be delayed for hours at this rate."

Mr. Phillips stormed off into the labyrinthine hallways in a huff, the assistant director so obviously out of his element it made Ruby grin. Out of sight, she swept the security keycard into the elevator that went underground, down to the cool, dark restoration rooms, where hidden treasures just waited to be acquired.

The elevator slowed and the heavy steel doors parted. Ruby removed some latex gloves and loose foundation powder from her bag. Ducking around a corner she waited patiently.

_12:04, right on time._

A short man with an outrageously obvious toupee approached the door to the restoration room and entered a four-digit pass code.

Ruby played the sounds over in her head, _E, C, G, High G._ Removing some loose face powder from her backpack, Ruby applied the miniscule granules to the thumb pad with a makeup brush, letting the powder absorb the natural oils of the man's finger. She got a decent impression from the attempt.

She then mashed 3-5-1-#, and used a latex gloved thumb to press into the thumb pad. The powder and latex registered the previous man's fingerprint, and the door popped open with nary an alarm or flashing light. Phase two, complete.

"Germany, England, Denmark, Italy, Russia, ah—" Ruby sighed, grin overtaking her face. "France. _Vous m'avez manqué?_"

The current items on loan from several galleries in France were mostly locked away in moisture-resistant, temperature controlled storage lockers.

But not The Sleeping Gypsy. She was up for preemptory restorations before beginning her three week tour, on loan from the Centre Historique des Archives Nationales in Paris.

_Poor girl. You were meant to be free!_

The motion sensor alarms along the floor were armed. Ruby could see the blinking red light at the entrance to the restoration lab, knowing the laser beams lay invisible somewhere in front of her.

She checked her watch again: 12:08. The curator meetings dismissed at 12:15, occasionally earlier. Security came back to the monitors after their rounds at 12:13, but she had planned for that.

_Work to be done._

Ruby removed a container of travel size aerosol hairspray. The sticky curtain of pressurized hair glue revealed horizontal green laser beams about two inches off the ground. They led all the way up to the table with her Gypsy.

In and out of her bag of tricks once more, and Ruby retrieved a large roll of aluminum foil. Setting to work with the practiced hand of an origami master, Ruby fashioned two long, standing panels out of aluminum foil, inverted capital _T'_s of silver that ran out about three feet in length. She placed them gently on the ground beside one another. She pushed them forward into the beams of the security lasers, and then, spread the standing foil pieces apart.

_Like parting the Red Sea._

The green security beams buzzed casually, but as if nothing had changed. They were being reflected back along themselves, so neither movement nor heat could trigger the alarms. They did not betray her sure step, heels clacking on linoleum as she extracted gloves and a collapsible tubing mechanism.

"_Bonjour, mademoiselle_. Long time, no see."

She meticulously curled the aging vellum, taking extreme care not to crease or fold any section. The integrity would be compromised, and all for naught.

Ruby quickly placed the century-old work into the tube and sealed it, stepping back through the beams, and dragging the foil barriers along with her. The place looked untouched, except for the massive blank workspace that once housed a one-hundred and seventeen year old painting.

Ruby turned her head at the sound of chairs scraping floorboards.

12:11.

_Shit. They're early._

She exited the room just as the curator emerged. Back on the elevator and she had moments, mere seconds before the painting was discovered missing. It dinged her arrival back to the first floor, and she stepped out into the secure hallway. Feigning nonchalance, she stuck her small chest out as she bypassed men with coffee, women with clip boards. They all smiled and snuck an occasional glance at her I.D. badge.

_People are too damn trusting._

Rounding the corner back to her broom closet, she saw two security guards ambling back into the front room where all of the security monitors were housed.

"Jimmy, what took you so long?"

"Sorry Fred, all the good snacks were gone, and it took me longer than usual to pick something out."

"Aren't you on a diet?"

The middle-aged men disappeared, just as Ruby reemerged from the broom closet, now an eighteen year old school girl again.

She rushed up to Mr. Porter five minutes later as the students filed out onto the front steps. Her braid was coming loose, and her cheeks were flushed.

"Oh Mr. Porter, there you are!" Ruby said.

"Miss Hoolihan! You missed the entire tour!"

"It was only fifteen minutes. We needed much more time in that gallery, it's massive! I couldn't find the group…" she trailed off, tilting her chin down. "I didn't mean to mess up my first week here, Mr. Porter, honest I didn't!" Ruby started to bite her fingernail. "No, I'm not supposed to do that anymore," she said, pulling her hand down.

Two days prior, Mr. Porter had chastised her for nail-biting.

Ruby did not bite her nails.

Maggie Hoolihan did.

"I… I got a brochure, so I can take notes," Ruby said weakly.

The old man was looking softer than butter.

"And, I'm trying to talk to the other girls, I am. It's just sort of hard, transferring in your senior year—"

"No worries, my dear," He said. "I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends to help you along in the year."

Mr. Porter squeezed her arm, and Ruby forced her eyes to water.

She knew then she had him.

"Thank you, Mr. Porter."

"Back on the bus with you. I can tell you the details you need to know about the exhibit for the quiz on Friday."

"Thank you. I— I stopped by the gift shop, when I couldn't find the class. I got this poster of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. 'The Creation of Adam', I think. I could show you, once we get back to school?" she motioned to the tube at her back.

"That will do, Miss Hoolihan. Now on the bus."

Ruby rolled her eyes, unable to hide the smirk spreading across her face.

As the bus turned at a stop light on Fifty Third Street, Ruby could hear the faint sound of sirens approaching the MoMA.

And when the bus rolled back into the parking drop at St. Agatha's, Mr. Porter despaired to find that they were one girl short.

In the nondescript warehouse along the Hudson that she called home, Ruby removed the painting from its casing and began her own restoration procedures. Satisfied with the preservation and framing materials many hours later, Ruby collapsed on her bed in the middle of her makeshift flat. Eyes from stolen portraits watched over her silently, while computers hummed the soft lullaby of spinning fans promising another day of excitement.


	2. Chapter 2: The Second Chapter

**A/N: Hello all! A bit shorter chapter today, but it is ahead of schedule, so... that's a thing. I'm on vacation so I thought I might as well post as much as I can before university comes and ruins any plans I have for a regular update schedule. I think I'm also gonna use this time to reply to reviews that I get so you guys know that I am in fact reading them. So on to it.**

**ocomfv: Thanks! I love watching heist shows and movies, and I always like watching the ones that use people's wits instead of going in guns blazing.**

**Now without further ado: The Story**

The next day Ruby was lounging on her couch watching the news when she got a call on her private cell. She fished around her messy little living space for her phone, finding it on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey sis," her sisters voice chirped through the speaker. "You know how much this weird painting of a girl laying down would be worth?"

"I'm gonna need a bit more info than that, Yang. There are a lot of paintings of girls in the world."

"Blake's sending you a picture now, I think it's German, or maybe Norwegian?"

Ruby checked her phone, and sure enough she had just received a text including the picture of the painting in question.

"Oh, yeah. That's the _Odalisque_. And it's Dutch, by the way. But why ask me, isn't Blake with you?"

"Yeah, but we like to keep you on your toes," her sister's partner's voice came from the background.

"Oh, so while doing a job in Oslo, with your partner who's a world-renown art thief, you decide to call your sister, who, by the way, is about to make national news, just for the hell of it."

"What, a girl can't call her sister just to talk? Also what do you mean by national news?"

"I may or may not have robbed the MoMA and stolen a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar painting."

"Atta girl! Wait how'd you know I was in Oslo?"

"Gee, it's almost like I make a living brokering information," Ruby replied sarcastically.

"Alright, well next time I have a job that could use someone with a deep general knowledge to run I'll call someone else before annoying you."

"You have a job for me?" Ruby asked excitedly.

"I did, but I can see that you're too busy right now," Yang replied teasingly.

"No, I'm not too busy! Please Yang, tell me what the job is?"

Yang chuckled at how easy it was to get under her sister's skin. At the tender age of 18, her sister was internationally known for her deep general knowledge and talents for brokering information. From launch codes to building schematics, if you needed it, she knew it. But more impressive was her sister's natural talent for the art that was performance grifting.

Ruby had backstories for her backstories, forged documents, aliases for her aliases, passport photos and birth certificates with social security numbers and citizenship records for dozens of fictional people in as many countries.

Yang grew up in a family of criminals, her dad worked as privately contracted muscle, her mom was a cat burglar. They found Ruby living on the street conning pedestrians with a few crocodile tears and a well-timed cry for a mommy who wasn't there. An ice cream cone later she'd slip away before social services showed up. Usually with some unlucky sap's wallet.

After seeing what she could do they immediately went to her to see if she wanted to stay with them. Yang would never forget the day she saw this little girl stroll confidently into their little safe house as if she had lived there for years. But what really touched Yang's heart was the fact that behind all the confidence and façade, she saw a girl who was scared and hoping for a place to actually call home.

Living in a home with career criminals gave one a unique set of skills at a very young age. Yang never quite developed the affinity for subtlety that Ruby had, preferring to use brawn over brain, especially when the other guy didn't know about her love of boxing. But whenever they went on a job together the blonde haired beauty could always count on her sister's words to do almost as much damage as her fists.

By the time Ruby was fourteen she had managed to land her first million dollar job stealing corporate secrets from a Chinese engineering firm for their American competitors.

"Yang?" Ruby asked, bringing the girl back from her trip down memory lane.

"Oh, sorry Rubes. Got a little distracted."

"So what sort of job is it?"

"The kind that requires someone with a deep knowledge of the energy trade, among other things."

"Oh?"

"A client has set us up to infiltrate the Ironwood Company. We're supposed to steal some sort of hard drive or something. Our fourth is going to give us more of the details when we meet them."

"Our fourth?" Normally whenever Ruby worked jobs with her sister and her partner it was a 30-30-40 split between the three of them. The forty percent going to whoever found the job.

"Yup, Uncle Qrow found it for us, so it's gonna be a twenty percent split between him and the four of us."

"Weird normally you don't go below thirty, this must be some hell of a payout." "How does upward of twenty million sound?"

"It sounds a little too good to be true."

"I'm sorry I thought Blake was the buzzkill-"

"Alright, I'll do it!" Ruby interrupted before her sister could go on one of her long-winded guilt-trips. "Just tell me what needs to happen."

"Turns out today's your lucky day, you're gonna be heading this one. Blake'll send you the contact info for our fourth so you can meet them and have some time for prep."

"Wait, I'm leading!? No, Yang, I can't do it-"

"Sorry Rubes, I gotta go. Me and Blakey will be stateside in two weeks, bye!"

Yang ended the call and looked at her partner. "What?" She asked.

Blake looked at her and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Are you sure your sister's the best choice to head up this job?"

"She'll be fine," Yang answered, as she and her partner ducked down a side alley. "Besides, it's not really our choice."

Ruby sat there on her couch looking at her phone, the number Blake sent her appeared on the screen, waiting to be called. _Should I call them? No, too personal. Text? But what if someone else sees their phone? Email? No, too easy to trace. Ugh why is this so difficult?! _She stood up and started pacing around the warehouse she called home, finding comfort in the machines she had built for jobs. After her Uncle Qrow had shown her how to hotwire her first car, she started taking apart and rebuilding everything she could get her hands on. She loved working with her hands, the feeling of being able to understand something so completely inside and out made her feel useful, unlike with the people she conned, she was a fox among hedgehogs and she knew the difference.

After a couple more minutes pacing through her makeshift metal shop she decided to just use one of the disposable cells that she kept on hand to send a text to her soon-to-be partner.

_Meet me at the Dawn to Dust café at 1500 tomorrow. Come alone._

She hit send and threw the phone on her mattress before going to her kitchen to prepare some instant noodles and have a snack before bed. When she returned with her poor excuse for a meal, she noticed a new message on the phone:

_Understood._

Ruby looked at the phone for a second before taking it outside and hurling it into the Hudson. When she came back inside she looked at her favourite red hoodie before retiring to her bed to eat a meager meal and get a few hours' sleep before having to get ready for her meeting with her new partner.

**A/N: Ugh. this chapter was a pain! I really don't like writing intro/set-up stuff so to me this chapter feels really forced. Oh well, it's over now! Reviews and critiques are appreciated. See you guys next time!**


	3. Chapter 3: Criminals and Crappy Coffee

**Hi guys! I'm sorry it took so long to update but I just got back to university and I'm still trying to work out a schedule for my free time so I can update more regularly. I'm also still on the hunt for an editor to read through these things before I post them. But never fear, I will have one before I post the next chapter, so here's hoping for improved quality! Anywho... On to the story!**

Weiss looked at her watch for the tenth time in the last two minutes. _3:10 where _are _they? _She had been sitting at this poor excuse for a café for the last half hour, waiting for her contact to show up, sipping on tea that hardly deserved to be called such. _Is this swill what regular people normally drink? _Sighing, she reclined slightly on her seat and took another look at her watch. Deciding that she had wasted enough time, she stood to leave and was immediately barrelled to the ground by a red blur.

"Oh my gosh! I am so sorry! I didn't mean to run into you, I was just in such a hurry and I wasn't looking where I was going. Oh, I'm in so much trouble!"

Weiss opened her eyes and found she was looking into the two most intriguing pools of silver, never before had she seen eyes of that colour. In them she saw experience that should have far surpassed the youthful innocence of the face surrounding those eyes. She realised how close those eyes were to her own and fought down a blush before realising she was on the ground with a strange girl on top of her, and she was still talking.

"Get off me, you dunce!" Weiss exclaimed, cutting the other girl off.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Let me just-" The strange girl struggled to get off of her before finally getting to her feet and sprinting to the back room faster than Weiss thought humanly possible.

Weiss grunted as she stood back up and was about to leave when she noticed a piece of paper sitting on her table that wasn't there before. She picked it up and gave it a quick onceover.

_Meet me at the back entrance._

She looked around for whoever could have put the note there, but found that the only other people in the café were a group of teenagers sitting in a booth on the other end of the café. That only left-no, it couldn't have been. Crunching up the note she left the dingy little café, walked around the little building and found herself in a back alley that smelled suspiciously of fish, looking at a little shed attached to the back of the coffee shop. She walked the couple steps to the rickety door at the front of the shed and raised her hand to get knock, but before she got the chance the door opened and she was ushered in. Once again she found herself lost in those twin seas of silver.

"Hi there! I'm your partner, and I'll be heading this job. You can call me Red!"

_Wait, what?_ She looked the girl over carefully, a black pair of jeans hugged her legs in a way that showed off her curves yet remained modest. They complemented the ratty red hoodie she wore that despite being at least two sizes too big she still managed to pull off to retain a look of childlike innocence. This was the professional criminal she hired? She couldn't be older than seventeen! This had to be some trick, there was no way she was going to work with a girl who was at least two years younger than her.

"No."

Red stopped her rambling and looked at Weiss incredulously. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said no. There's no way I'm going to let a child run a job that can get me thrown in jail for life, or worse. Where are the other members of the team?"

Red flushed and looked at the ground before mumbling, "They won't be here for a few weeks so they told me that I was taking point and to meet you so we could get prep work done."

"Well I'm going to make to and sort this whole mess out myself." She reached into her purse to grab her phone and was met with nothing. "Great, I must have left it in that sewer people mistake for a café." She turned to open the door and go back to the café.

"Wait!" Weiss froze and turned to look at Red who was still standing in the same place. "You're phone's on the desk."

She turned back and moved to the desk sitting by the far wall of the shed. Now that she was actually observing her surroundings she realised that what they were standing in was less of a shed and more of a garage that was connected to the café through the back. All around her screens buzzed as they displayed everything from stock prices to every news channel she could think of in more languages than she cared to know. In the middle of the giant room was a table with a laptop, different tools and parts of machines, and an assortment of strange looking blueprints.

She reached the desk and found her phone sitting in a pile of identical phones, plugged in to one of the many computers. She turned it on and was met with a message telling her that an installation was complete. She read this and turned to glare at Red. "What did you do to my phone!?" she screeched. Her phone was her life, she kept all her plans on it, including the ones that were a little less than legal.

"N-N-Nothing! I swear!" Red looked about ready either faint or flee to another country.

"Then why does it say that something has finished installing on it?"

"I-It's just so you don't get caught."

Weiss took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. "Never mind. I'm going to call Ozpin right now and sort out this mess." She unlocked her phone and started typing in the number to contact her associate when she read received a message from the man himself.

_Red is leading the job. This is non-negotiable._

Weiss looked between her phone and Red in disbelief. The hooded girl merely snickered before saying, "He keeps a live feed going whenever I meet with a new client. Mr. Ozpin and my uncle can hear everything in here."

"Your uncle?" Weiss asked, Red simply nodded. "Well, that explains it." She said irritably.

"Explains what?" The younger girl asked.

"Why you're leading this job."

"Still not following."

"Instead of paying for a professional your uncle decided to send a child to do a job that is costing me more than you can imagine."

"Hey! I'm plenty good!" Red exclaimed indignantly.

"Oh please, you can't be older than-what? Fifteen? Sixteen? I'm not about to risk my life babysittin-" Weiss looked down to read the message that had interrupted her tirade:

_Red is best and only option. Take it or leave it._

Weiss gaped at the phone. This-this _girl-_was her best option? How could that be? With the amount of money involved she was sure she was going to meet some thirty-something women who overflowed with elegance and confidence. Instead she got this girl in her late teens in her ratty yet admittedly, adorable, ensemble. With the oversized hoodie that still seemed to hug all the right places despite its bagginess, and those jeans that hugged her legs so well, leaving little to the imagination-

"Eighteen."

Red's small voice brought Weiss back to the present, pulling her thoughts away from a direction that she knew her father wouldn't tolerate. The heiress looked back up and was met with twin pools of silver that glowed with agitation. Lost in those pools Weiss was sure she'd replied with something clever along the lines of: "Huh?"

Those spellbinding silvers seemed to glow brighter at that. "I said I'm eighteen. And one of the best conwomen you will ever meet. Now how about instead of complaining about it Ms. Moneybags, we get down to business and you tell me what my job is."

Weiss felt her stomach drop. How did this girl know she was rich? She had purposefully worn the cheapest clothes she could find and had even taken a taxi here, instead of using her personal driver, Geoffrey. What else could this girl know about her? While Weiss was reeling from being figured out so easily, Red had just put on a pot of coffee, and was typing something into one of the computers that lined the walls of the garage-like shed that sat behind a crappy café in a crappier part of town, before sitting at the table in the middle of the room and looking at her expectantly. Taking a deep breath, Weiss sat down and prepared to explain the nature of the job they were about to undertake.

"We need to attend a party."


	4. Chapter 4: Dresses and Drama

A week later Ruby found herself sitting with her hands between her legs, fingers fiddling with the stuffing through a hole in the faux leather of the bench as she swung her legs and examined the tacky carpeting outside the changing room of the dress shop she and Weiss were currently paroosing. "Weiss! Hurry up! We haven't got all day, just pick one already!" Weiss sighed dramatically as she walked out of the small changing room and twirled in front of Ruby. "What do you think?" "It looks great on you. Everything you wear looks great on you," great was an understatement. Weiss was wearing an elegant navy blue dress that brought out the heiress' polar white skin tone and silver hair. It reached just above her knees, showing off an attractive but not inappropriate amount of leg. The neckline too was modest but showed off enough collarbone to make Ruby's mouth water, "just like the other twenty -eight dresses you tried on from those four other stores."

Weiss turned quickly to hide her blush from the younger girl and headed back into the change room to take off the dress so she could pay for it. "I would have thought that someone in your...profession would understand the importance of looking good," she said from behind the door of the change room as she worked her way out of the dress and back into her regular clothes.

"Not as important as you think," Ruby replied, getting up from the uncomfortable bench that had served as her fifth observation deck of the day. She hadn't been lying when she said Weiss looked great in everything she chose. Of course her partner simply took it as Ruby trying to get out of there as fast as possible, which was partly true. The only good thing that came from today was that Ruby was given the opportunity to ogle at the beautiful heiress all day. Sure she came off as uptight and mean, but beneath it all Ruby knew that the girl had a softer side, and she was determined to bring it out. Plus, _holy _hell, was she attractive.

"Oh, please. Don't tell me you are so cocky that you think you could just waltz into that party dressed as some sort of hoodlum, in that ratty hoodie of yours, jeans and a pair of converse and manage to convince the head of the New York branch of one of the biggest engineering firms in the country that you are a world-class lawyer who can help him cover up the fact that his firm has been cutting corners on everything from bridges to jumbo-jets, buying counterfeit parts from countries where they could be produced at a much cheaper rate."

"N-no," Ruby stammered. How did this girl have that sort of effect on her? Sure she'd been attracted to the people she'd worked with before. Hell, she'd been attracted to her marks before too. But whenever that happened she would just put up a facade of confidence, hide behind the mask of one of her aliases and keep her distance. But something about the woman before her with her harsh stare and a no nonsense attitude that covered something bigger made Ruby unable to simply lie and pretend to be someone else, "I just meant that clothes aren't the most important thing when it comes to a con- here let me."

By now they were standing at cash ready to pay for Weiss's dress. The cashier rang it up and Ruby handed her a credit card. The woman swiped it and handed it back to Ruby, "would you like the dress to be sent to your place ma'am?" She asked.

"Yes, please. If you could just send it to this address, that would be lovely," Ruby said before giving the woman a smile that was proper and charming, conveying an air of sophistication, despite what she was wearing, that no lie could have.

The girls walked out of the store and Ruby turned to Weiss and smiled before saying, "see?" She then stood straighter with her shoulders back and her nose a little higher in the air in her own imitation of Weiss. "I don't think I'll have a problem fitting in."

She snickered as Weiss gawked at her then took the wallet out of her back pocket, removed any money inside and threw it in the nearest trash can.

"What are you doing?" Weiss asked.

"Relax, I took it from that guy in the suit who was following us about three stores back."

"We were being followed?" Ruby saw a shadow of fear pass through the older girl's icy blue irises before they hardened into a look of determination. "I take it that was why you dragged me across town before doubling back here?"

"Yup." Ruby nodded, before fully absorbing what the white-haired girl before her was implying. "Wait-dragged you? I'm not the one who needed to go to five different stores before picking a dress! I'm also not the one who sticks out like a sore thumb wherever she goes."

"That's because unlike some people I have a sense of style and know how to dress for an occasion."

"I know how to dress!"

"That has yet to be proven."

"Just 'cause I don't need to spend six and half hours searching half of New York for the "perfect dress" for every occasion doesn't mean I don't know how to dress for a party!" How could someone so pretty be so annoying?

"So you're going to stick to this whole "clothes aren't important" mantra?"

"I never said they weren't important. I meant that they weren't the most important factor in a con." By know they had wandered into the warehouse district and were walking along the Hudson, they stopped in front of a warehouse and Ruby pulled Weiss through the door. Ruby closed the door, locked it, and turned to see Weiss with a look of confusion and barely concealed annoyance. "What I mean is that the clothes don't make the performance, they're just costumes. Like in a play. And really that's all grifting comes down to, right? I walk into that party and from that point on I'm putting on a performance, I'm Sophia Zawistow played by Red, which is appropriate seeing as I'm like the Maryl Streep of con women- "

"Who?" Ruby was struck dumb, which was particularly impressive considering how most of her jobs consisted of her talking. How sheltered could this girl possibly be?

"You don't know who Maryl Streep is?"

"No, should I?"

"Should you? Of course you should!"

"Well who is she? Do we need to meet her for the job?"

"Do we have to- No! Maryl Streep is an actress! How could you not know who she is?"

"I don't watch a lot of movies." Upon hearing this Ruby immediately felt sorry for the woman in front of her. Next to the chocolate chunk cookies from the little bakery down the street and spending time with her sister, movies were probably her most favourite thing in the world. From that point on she decided that she wanted to be there and show this girl all of her favourites, from_ Casa Blanca _to _The Sound of Music_. She chased this thought from her head almost as quickly as it came. They were partners. Nothing more. After this job odds were that they would never see each other again.

"What does this have to do with anything anyway?" Ruby's attention went back to the irritated heiress before her. _How does she do that?_ All it took was one sentence from the pale beauty to send the dark haired girl into dreamland and another to snap her back.

"Nothing, just trying to get to know you better is all."

"Well don't. I just want to get this job done as quickly as possible."

Once again, Ruby was found wondering how anyone so attractive could be so annoying. Sighing, she lifted her hands in the air in surrender, "alright. Was just trying to be friendly."

"I'd rather you try to be serious," she said, turning around. "Still can't believe I'm working with a child."

That was it. Ruby shot forward and got in front of the fuming heiress, ultimately cutting her off and glared into her cold blue eyes.

"Look Princess, this is a job, not some get together with all of the other members of Daddy's-Little-Girl club. While you were sitting at the pool having some attractive pool boy named Carlos rub sun-tan lotion over your back, and got whatever you wanted by just ringing a little brass bell, I grew up on my own, I did what I had to in order to survive, I didn't have any family to rely on until I had already figured out how to get by on my own! And when I finally did find a place to call home, I ended up becoming the best at what I do. I didn't become an internationally known criminal by not taking things seriously, and I sure as hell wouldn't be here listening the criticism of some spoiled brat who thinks she knows everything if I wasn't serious about this job! I'm the leader on this because I have skills that are integral to the success of this job and people are relying on me to do things right." Ruby was furious. She could take Weiss not taking her seriously, but she drew the line at her taking her jobs seriously being questioned. She knew deep down that Weiss didn't mean to anything by what she said; that the tough act she put on was just that. An act. The heiress was a clearly out of her depth and she was trying to compensate by lashing out at the younger girl over every little thing, but she needed to be reminded who was in charge and there was no room for egos on a job with a payout this high.

She took a deep breath and looked Weiss. The white haired girl looked flabbergasted and angry but within those enchantingly icy blue eyes sadness and regret swirled in vortex of pain that made Ruby's heart ache and she yearned to simply pull the other girl into a hug and tell everything was going to be fine. But Weiss needed to hear this. She needed to learn that she wasn't the center of the universe, and that, despite appearances, Ruby knew what she was doing. She looked down, studying the concrete floor of Ruby's warehouse abode silently opening and closing her mouth trying to come up with an answer, "I understand." She said after a few seconds.

"Good," Ruby said, taking a deep breath. "Because now that our little shopping date is finished, we have some work to do."


	5. Chapter 5: Something Witty About Pasta?

Weiss sat at the table in the back of the warehouse taking in her surroundings. All around her was evidence of a life lived to its fullest. The walls were adorned with trophies from Red's conquests in the criminal sphere. Stolen paintings hanging from walls; sculptures from every point in history; bits of machinery that, according to Red, were prototypes that were supposed to revolutionize the technology industry at the time. Compared to her room at her father's house where the only proof that someone lived there was the closet full of clothes and some papers on the desk.

"How long is your dad in Dubai for?"

The sound of Red's voice brought Weiss's attention back to the younger girl in front of her. Despite how much she resisted she couldn't help looking the girl over. She was no longer wearing her oversized hoodie, discarding it after entering the makeshift flat. She now wore a tight black t-shirt that hugged her torso deliciously, showing off a toned abdomen and a pair of well-rounded breasts.

"Weiss?" Red look at her now, her silver eyes shining with curiosity. Weiss blushed at the fact that she was caught staring and then shook her head to clear her head of thoughts that she hadn't had for years. Not since France.

"Sorry. He should be there for about two weeks and then leaves for Moscow a month later," Weiss said, forcing the thoughts down.

"Alright, that should give us enough time to infiltrate Ironwood get invited to the meetings in South Keyes before he gets back, then after he leaves we can head down to Florida with a couple days to spare for some R-and-R. Now that we have that covered, do you have some place other than the Schnee estate to stay until he gets back?"

"No, why?" Weiss asked.

"Because it's under surveillance and I'd like for you not to be followed around at all hours of the day," Red said matter-of-factly. "Gets in the way of business."

"How do you know my father's house is under surveillance?"

"Because I've seen the guy who was tailing us earlier, he works for a guy who goes by the name Junior. And if Junior is having you followed, you can bet he's got your place under watch."

"Great, so what am I supposed to do?" Weiss was not a fan of having what little privacy she had invaded, especially when she was planning on committing a felony.

"Don't worry, I've got an extra cot lying around here somewhere. You can stay here and borrow some clothes from my closet."

Weiss was floored by the nonchalance with which Red had invited her into her home. They had only known each other for a week, most of which was spent gathering information on James Ironwood, the CEO of Ironwood or snagging invitations to the party using Weiss's name and Red instructing her on what to say. She was practically a stranger to the dark haired girl, and yet this girl had been more honest and sincere with her than anyone she had ever met before. Red saw her for more than just some pretty face to be put on display to help her father's business deals. Sure she had said some pretty harsh things to the young heiress when they had first arrived, and even though Red would never know how wrong she was about Weiss's life being easy, she was sincere when she had yelled at the other girl. There wasn't malice in the tirade, but frustration with a girl who, admittedly had probably been a hindrance to getting the job done. After hearing about Red's past and seeing the evidence of her accomplishments all over the younger girl's walls, Weiss conceded to the fact that, despite her age and carefree demeanor, Red was clearly very good at what she did.

_Face it, you've been nothing but a bitch to her all week._

And still this girl was willing to let her stay with her for the remaining two weeks.

"Why?" she whispered, almost inaudibly.

Red looked up from the document she was reading on her laptop and looked at Weiss, brow raising in curiosity, "Sorry? Did you say something?"

"Why?" Weiss asked again, louder.

"'M afraid I don't follow."

"Why would you let me stay with you? You barely know me, and I've been nothing but a bitch to you all week."

"Because you need a place to stay," Red said simply, before returning to the document she was reading.

"That doesn't make any sense. People don't just do things for other people like that. What do you get out of this?"

"The pleasure of your company?" Red asked sarcastically. Eyes not leaving her screen.

"I'm serious, Red."

Red sighed and put her laptop on the table before standing up. "I'm hungry. You want anything?"

"Don't try to change the subject Red." Weiss was getting annoyed. If Red was hiding something, she wanted to know what it was.

"I'll just make you some in case," Red said before zipping up the stairs to upper floor of the warehouse.

Weiss sighed irritably and leaned back in the plush leather chair, glaring at the table.

_She forgot her laptop._ Weiss thought as she noticed the slick black computer sitting open where Red had left it before leaving to cook the two of them dinner. She contemplated bringing it up to the younger girl as a peace offering before apologizing profusely for her behaviour over the past week. She imagined the younger girl standing in front of a stove, an apron tied around her waist and hanging onto the girls every curve as if it was moulded to her form. She imagined the girl turning to look at her and smiling her cute lopsided smile before taking Weiss between her arms and leaning her face in, lips precariously close. She imagined herself leaning in to meet the younger girl's lips-

A loud ringing ripped Weiss from her thoughts. The laptop was ringing. She shook her head as she stood up and walked around the table. Those kinds of thoughts were wrong. Her father had taken extra care to enforce that lesson. She was a woman, and thinking of another woman in such a manner was sick and wrong.

At least that what her father would say.

She shook her head once more as the ringing went off again, and approached the laptop. Displayed on the screen was the name "Yang" and a picture of a women with blonde hair in clothes that could barely pass for appropriate to be worn out of one's own house. The picture showed the woman with her arm around Red, both had huge smiles on their faces as they stood in front of what looked like the Great Wall of China.

Before Weiss knew what she was doing she pressed the answer button. She stared wide-eyed as the blonde from the picture appeared on the screen next to a woman with black hair and a bow. Unlike Red who had crimson highlights throughout her hair, this girl had hair that was the colour of jet.

"Hey sis-" the blonde said before noticing who was on the other end of the call. Weiss panicked and was about to close the laptop when the dark haired woman started speaking.

"You're our fourth aren't you?" While the blonde looked surprised that Weiss was sitting at the computer instead of Red, the dark haired girl looked completely unfazed. "I'm Blake. This is Yang. We're your other partners for this job. I take it you've met Red?"

"Y-yeah," Weiss stammered. She cleared her throat, trying to regain some composure. "My name's Weiss."

"Nice to meat ya, Weiss. I hope my sister hasn't given you too much trouble." Yang said with a smile.

"N-no. I mean no, she has been rather pleasant over the last week."

"That's good, she can be a handful sometimes, ya know."

Weiss laughed nervously, not really knowing what to say. She looked anywhere but at the screen for a minute feeling awkward.

"Something on your mind, Weiss?" Blake asked in a calm tone that spoke of intelligence and grace.

Weiss sat down in the chair Red had occupied not five minutes before and sighed, "Everyone on this team is so young. I was expecting, I don't know-"

"Someone older? More professional?" Yang suggested.

Weiss nodded her head slowly. She had just ended potentially offending everyone that she was going to be working with over the next few weeks in the span of three hours.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Red's young but she knows what she's doing." Blake said.

"I didn't say anything about Red!" Weiss exclaimed, feeling a blush surface to her cheeks.

"Well, Blakey and I are easily your age or a bit older, and you wouldn't be the first person to be concerned about my sister's age."

Weiss sighed. Was she really that obvious? "Fine, but you have to admit it's a little hard to believe someone that young is the best in the business. I mean how could she to do all this-" Weiss gestured at Red's collection of trophies that covered the wall of the warehouse "-and not attract the attention of every law enforcement official in the country?"

Yang and Blake looked at each other and smiled before looking back at Weiss.

"That's because she does attract their attention." Yang said.

"And not just in the U.S., Red's wanted around the world." Blake added.

"How can that be possible? She's only eighteen."

"It's possible because when it comes to committing crimes my little sister is some sort of genius." The pride in Yang's voice was emphasized only by the smug smile on her face.

"Wow…" Weiss sat there trying to compromise the brilliance of something like that with the funny little girl who was making her dinner.

"Yup, my little sis is pretty smart," Yang said, smiling with pride. "Bet she knew everything about you before you even opened your mouth didn't she?" Weiss nodded.

"If you ever need proof of just how good Red is, ask her how she knew all that…" A loud bang was heard on their end, and both Yang and Blake turned when a voice shouting something in what sounded like Portuguese came from off screen.

"Looks like that's our cue to leave. Take care of my little sister for me, would ya?" The call was finished before Weiss could think of an appropriate thing to say in return. Standing slowly, she closed Red's laptop and headed up the stairs nearby to see Red and apologize for the way she had been acting.

She reached the top of the stairs faster than she thought she would, and by the time she was standing in the doorway of Red's little kitchen she still had not thought of a way to apologize for the horrible way she had treated the other girl over the past week. Red was standing there in front of the stove stirring a pot of what smelled like spaghetti sauce, softly humming to herself and for some reason Weiss felt a feeling of calm and happiness come over her and couldn't bring herself to move or say anything. This wasn't right. She shouldn't be feeling so content just standing there in the doorway watching her partner in crime cook dinner. What was it about this girl anyway? They both had gotten on each other's nerves right from the get go, and yet when Weiss saw the little lopsided smile that graced Red's face as she added some spice to the sauce, her chest would start ache in a way that was that was unfamiliar to her and the only thing that would make this strange feeling go away was the thought of getting closer to the younger woman before her. She couldn't for the life of her understand where these thoughts were coming from, but she planned to get to the bottom of them. And she had the next two weeks to do it.

This realization brought with it equal amounts joy and dread. She was filled with joy at the thought of getting to spend two weeks with this girl, the dread was for what was in store after those two weeks were finished and she was back at her father's house living under his tyranny. Her back was still sore from the last time she had seen him, and the scars from that day in France still ached on occasion when it rained. But after this job was finished, if she played her cards right, she'd never have to see him again.

Red turned around, sauce spoon in hand and jumped when she saw Weiss in the doorway, getting sauce on her shirt in the process.

"Geez! Be a little quieter why don't you, Mr. Wayne!" She shrieked sarcastically.

Weiss cocked her head in confusion, "Who?"

"You know, Bruce Wayne? Batman?"

Red sighed when the look of confusion on Weiss's face deepened. She reached for some paper towel and dabbed at her chest trying to get the sauce off. Sighing she took off her shirt leaving her in only a deep red bra and Weiss unable to form a coherent thought. She ran the garment under the sink before rubbing at it again. After sufficiently scrubbing her shirt, she looked down and noticed some sauce had seeped through onto her chest and she proceeded to bend over the counter and grab more paper towel before rubbing it along the top of her breasts. Weiss didn't know how much more she could take. If the burning of her face was any indication, she guessed that her complexion was as deep a crimson as the undergarments covering Red's breasts. She couldn't be doing this on purpose, could she?

_Why am I even watching her? _She was just standing there, watching Red. Watching the dip of the skin of her breasts under the pressure of the napkin and Red's hands. Red hadn't noticed. She scrunched up the napkin and tossed it into the garbage before grabbing a plate of pasta and sitting down to eat at the table. Weiss was frozen in place, her imagination having a field day with the amount of skin the younger girl was showing. The next two weeks were going to be torture, she knew it.

"Are you gonna sit down?" Red asked with a look of curiosity and a mouth full of spaghetti. Weiss shook her head for the millionth time that night and grabbed a plate before sitting down and eating her food. Her eyes never left her plate as the topless girl in front of her babbled about everything and anything between shoveling mouthfuls of pasta.

When they were both finished, Red took both their plates and placed them in the sink. The girl stood there looking out the little window for a moment before speaking. "Look, I don't want you thinking that me letting you stay here is a completely selfless act," Weiss remained silent as she watched the dark haired girl sigh and slouch her shoulders slightly as she leaned against the sink. "This job-there's a lot riding on it going well, and the other two are relying on me as well… so you can see how you being watched could throw a wrench in those plans," she sighed once more before turning and looking at Weiss, desperation shining in those beautiful silver eyes. "I _need _this job to go well. So regardless of whether you choose to sleep at my place or not, I'm gonna be there with you."

Weiss was stunned, how do you respond to someone saying something like that? This girl was much too good to be doing what she did for a living. Ruby sighed and turned to leave, stopping at the doorway, she looked at the ground as she spoke. "There are clothing rooms just down that little hall there you can borrow a night shirt or something. You'll be happy to know that tomorrow we'll be doing even more shopping." With that she turned and went down the stairs to get ready for bed.

Weiss nodded and headed to the nearest room on her left and opened the door. She chuckled when she saw how filled the rooms were, finding humor in the irony of a girl such as Red, who was indifferent to the fashion world, owning rooms filled with clothes. She quickly grabbed a nightgown from a hanger and shed her clothes, relishing the silky feeling of the nightwear against her thighs. When she was done changing she went downstairs to find that the entire warehouse was lit with a warm red light. In the middle of the floor were two beds, Red was already nestled in one breathing softly. Weiss smiled at the younger girl before settling into the other bed.

Maybe this whole criminal thing wasn't so bad.

**A/N: Alright so maybe that whole "fixed schedule for updates thing" is just a pipe dream. But I've been pretty stressed for the last few days and writing helps me to relax. Soooo... new chapters! A huge thank you to the people who have favourited or followed this story and another one to those who take the time to review as well. I love reading what you guys have to say about the story, and its kinda helping me through a tough time in my life. Any ways as always thanks for reading and I'll see you next time.**

**VagueJester**


	6. Chapter 6: Breakfast and Bookcases

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry I haven't been updating very often. It's midterm season right now and most of my attention has been spent studying or procrastinating :P. So I thought a double update would be in order. I encourage you to leave a review. I love reading about what you guys thought of the chapter and what you think will happen in the future. So without further ado:**

**The story.**

It was still relatively dark when Weiss awoke. The glow of streetlights was her sunrise and, surprisingly, the gentle deluge of a saxophone was her alarm. She listened to the music as it floated throughout the air and pulled her blanket closer. The soft crinkling of the inflatable mattress reminded her that she was not, in fact, at her father's house, but had slept on the ground of a warehouse that sat along the Hudson. She rolled over to find the bed on which her hostess had been sleeping empty, and instead saw the brunette sitting at the same table as last night, wearing her large red hoodie over a tank top and some track pants. She was reading over the same folder, with a look of concentration on her face that was nothing short of adorable.

_Okay, this needs to stop. Red is my partner, I shouldn't be thinking those kinds of things about her. Or about any girl really._

Memories of her adolescence started to resurface, but were quickly forgotten when mercury met icy blue. Red smiled at her and she blushed, knowing she had been caught staring. She looked away and stood up, feeling the satisfying pop in her joints as she stretched.

"Morning Weiss," Red's voice was as energetic and full of enthusiasm as ever, despite the early hour. "Hope I didn't wake you."

"It's fine." Weiss replied. She was used to early mornings anyway, they were the only time she got to herself before being rushed off to lessons or some public appearance for her father's company.

"You want breakfast?" Red asked as she rose from her seat and headed towards the stairs at the other end of the warehouse. As she passed, Weiss realised that the younger girl was taller than her by at least three inches.

Two plates of chocolate chip pancakes later and both women found themselves in the exact same positions as the previous night: Red curled up in her comfy leather chair reading that same folder, and Weiss sitting across the table from her having no idea what to do. Soft jazz music was still playing from a nearby record player that looked like it belonged in a museum (judging by Red's décor it probably did) as Weiss once again inspected Red's collection of treasures. Directly to her left was a massive bookcase, the first four shelves were filled to the brim with different reading materials. As far as she could tell Red had everything from Tolstoy and Dickens to Rowling and Tolkein. What caught her attention though was the sheer number of encyclopaedias and manuals with subjects ranging from fine arts and history to aerospace engineering and international business. In the two shelves above the plethora of reading materials were vinyl records of all different kinds of music. Staring at the bookcase, Weiss was not lost on the irony that something so filled with personal items could reveal so little about the young brunette sitting across from her. There was simply too much information, and that was probably how Red wanted it. She looked once more at the young girl sitting across from her and decided if she was to better understand the riddle that was Red, she had to at least talk to her.

The only problem is _she had no idea what to say._ The only kind of talking she was good at were the small talk and pleasantries she was forced to partake in during her father's corporate events, and even then she knew she acted cold and harshly with most people. She didn't know how to get to know somebody, let alone start a proper conversation.

"See something you like?" Red asked with a smirk, though her eyes never left the folder in her hands.

She had been caught staring. Again.

Weiss quickly stood up and turned back to the bookshelf next to the table and studied its contents while fighting down a blush.

"Feel free to borrow some of them. God knows I've read them all cover to cover so many times I must've memorised most of them word for word by now."

She let out a sigh of relief. Trust the con woman to know how to carry a conversation.

"I had just noticed how broad your tastes seem to be." _Good just keep talking to her._

"Yeah, I'll read pretty much anything."

"Easily pleased?"

"Something like that." She had to hand it to the brunette, she was very good at maintaining a level of mystery that was enough for anyone to be interested in learning more.

"Do you… have a favourite?"

"Not particularly."

Another sigh, this time of irritation. "You know, I'm trying to get to know you and you're making it very difficult."

"Am I?"

"Yes, you are!" This made no sense, how could this one girl be able to make Weiss react on every possible end of the emotional spectrum?

"If I take refuge in ambiguity, I assure you that it's quite conscious."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh I didn't say that, a mister Kingman Brewster Jr. did, and I'm giving you your first lesson."

"My first what?"

"Your first lesson," Red proceeded to stand up and come around the table to join Weiss in front of the bookcase. "If we're gonna con one of the biggest engineering firms in the country, we're gonna have to do it together."

"Well of course we are. I'm getting you into the party aren't I?"

"Your job's not done there," Red said, shaking her head. "Once we get into the party, I'm gonna chat up the head of the New York branch and get myself invited to the corporate event in Miami, but you need to be there as well. Meaning you need to learn how to talk someone into giving you what you want without them knowing. Also known as: a con. And don't tell me you know how to deal with people at a party, because that isn't a valid argument here."

"And why not? I've been to more parties and corporate events than I care to count and have been able to deal with the people there since I was a little girl." Weiss was surprised that Red had been able to figure out what she was going to say before she had even thought of it, but more than that, she was annoyed that brunette standing before her was assuming she knew more about dealing with the upper class than the heiress did.

"Exactly you know how to deal with them. You don't know how to con them, just how to keep them from conning you."

She was right. Weiss didn't know the first thing about talking to people, and as annoyed as she was with the other girl for pointing it out, she was more angry with herself for lashing out at her over something Weiss herself had accepted right before this conversation had even started. She took a deep calming breath and looked the brunette in front of her in the eyes. "You're right." As much as she hated to admit that she was wrong, she needed this job to go well so, for the time being, she would swallow her pride and listen to the girl in front of her.


	7. Chapter 7: The Really Long One

**A/N: This one's a bit of a doozy! I thought about making this two separate chapters, but I wanted to start having chapters written in both girls' perspectives and I may have gone a little overboard. Either way, please enjoy and remember that I love hearing your thoughts!**

"First lesson when conning someone: don't give them what they want."

"What? That doesn't make any sense."

They had just left the warehouse and were making their way along the Hudson towards a busier part of town, though at this time of morning, the streets were all packed with people heading to work to start another nine-to-five day. Ruby had always wondered what it would be like to lead that kind of life. To wake up in the morning and already know what was in store for the next twelve to sixteen hours. Most of the time she thought it would be awfully dull, but a small part of her wished she could at least wake up and not have to worry about getting arrested. And after this job she would have enough money to be safe for as long as she needed to be. She smiled at the thought then looked to the heiress walking next to her to answer her question.

"But it does make sense. When you con someone you gotta give them what they think they want, but just a taste. Enough to keep 'em coming back for more."

By now they had made it onto the street and were walking towards one of the rougher parts of town. Ruby could see the nervousness on Weiss's face even though she tried to hide it. She gave credit to the older girl as she simply raised her chin a little higher and made her back a little straighter, her clenched fist the only indicator that she was tense being in an unfamiliar part of town that was more than a little shady.

She debated telling Weiss that she had no need to worry, that everyone in this neighbourhood knew Ruby and was her friend. Well, maybe friend was the wrong word, seeing as they all knew her as Monique Teller. In fact the only people who actually knew her as Ruby Rose were her sister, Blake, and her uncle, and she rarely saw any of them. Everyone else who claimed to be her friend didn't even know her name. It wasn't her that they would smile and wave at, it was a character.

"Red, where exactly is it you are taking me?"

Weiss's voice brought her back to reality. The shorter girl's eyes were darting around as she tried to keep an eye on, what she probably thought was, every potential mugger and pickpocket on the block. She wasn't completely wrong in her assumption even the kids on the block would rob you blind if you weren't careful. They turned down an alley and Ruby decided the heiress had probably suffered enough and let her off the hook.

"It's alright Weiss, none of them are gonna do anything to you as long as you stay with me."

That seemed to calm her down a bit. Her posture relaxed but she did start walking a little closer to Ruby as they made their way down the alley and behind a big worn down three-story house. Its brick walls were covered in all sorts of graffiti, and there were more windows with boards in them than glass. Leaning against the house was her friend Jaune. He wore a ripped pair of jeans and running shoes with a black hoodie that had the hood down, showing off his mop of blonde hair. He stood there watching a small group of children play a game of soccer with books and sweaters on the ground as makeshift nets. He noticed her approaching and waved her over.

"Hey Red, what brings you to our little slice of paradise?"

"Hey Jaune. Did you guys have a package come in yesterday for me?"

"I dunno, you'll have to ask Pyrrha about it, she takes care of that kind of stuff."

"Alright, is she inside?"

"Yup, but before you go why don't you introduce me to your little friend." He looked Weiss up and down before holding out his hand. "Hi there, I'm Jaune."

Weiss opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by Ruby. "She's not interested."

She grabbed Weiss's hand and pulled her up the steps and through the back door into the house before Jaune had a chance to hit on her any more than he did already. They had already gotten up the stairs and on to the second floor before Ruby became acutely aware that she was still holding Weiss's hand and let go while blushing. She felt weird. Normally she just laughed at Jaune's goofy womanizing ways, but as soon as he laid eyes on Weiss she immediately felt a white hot anger flow through her and her chest started to hurt. This was not right. She couldn't be feeling…jealous could she? She had only known the heiress for a little over a week, there was no way. She was just stressed about the job. Yeah, that was it. Stress.

They got to the top of the last set of stairs and were on the third floor when a pair of children barreled into Ruby, almost making her fall down the stairs. One of them was a little boy, around nine or ten with shaggy black hair that fell in front of his eyes and a smile that Ruby knew, once he got older, would be able to sell ice to an eskimo. The other little body currently wrapping itself around her leg was a girl with shoulder length blonde hair and a pair of green eyes brighter than any emerald Ruby had ever stolen.

"Miss Monique!" They shouted as they each clung to her waist. Ruby lowered herself to one knee and wrapped both children in a big hug before backing away to look them both in the eye.

"Hello you two, how are you?" She greeted the children, slipping into her most calming and refined French accent.

"Great!" Exclaimed the little boy. "Some of the older boys took Lucy's bunny and wouldn't give it to her but I managed to get it back from them."

"Really? What happened?"

"Lucy and I were playing in the yard with Mister Jaune when they snuck into her room and took her bunny."

Ruby looked at Lucy who was having a very intense staring contest with the ground. "Is that true Lucy?"

The little blonde girl nodded and gave a whispered "Yes."

Ruby turned her attention back to the little boy who was almost bouncing in place waiting for his turn to speak. "And tell me Michael, how did you manage to retrieve Lucy's bunny?"

"Well Lucy came into our room and was crying and she said that Jacob and his friends had taken Alice and-and said that if she didn't help them take the other kids snacks from their cubbies that they throw Alice in the fire and that she couldn't tell Mister Jaune or Miss Pyrrha."

Ruby gasped dramatically, and brought Lucy in for another hug. "Are you alright, Lucy?"

The little girl nodded. "They kicked me really hard in the tummy and said if I told Mister Jaune or Miss Pyrrha they would throw Alice in the fireplace and beat me up more for being a tattletale." Lucy was mumbling into Ruby's neck as she rubbed soothing circles into the girls back and planted a kiss on her head.

"But-But they didn't 'cause I got Alice back and got them for hurting Lucy." Michael said as he too wrapped his arms around Lucy. Ruby turned her head and eyed the little boy suspiciously.

"Michael, what did you do?" Her tone caused the boy to shrink back a bit, but he knew better than to lie to her.

"We-Well at first I thought about what Miss Yang would do, but there was five of them and they were all bigger than me and-and-" he had started stammering a big blush forming on his rosy cheeks.

"And?" Ruby offered.

"And they made Lucy cry and I-I don't want to hit people, even though all the other boys keep calling me a wimp."

"So what did you do?"

"He orchestrated one of the biggest food fights this orphanage has ever seen, stole my necklace, Jaune's wallet, Ren's watch, and Nora's bracelet, left one of Wallace's favourite candy wrappers on the floor in my room, snuck into the older kids' room, stole Alice and several other kids' toys and put all of our stolen things in Wallace's cubby." Pyrrha was standing in front of Ruby, wearing a pair of skinny jeans and red button up. She had her arms crossed and a scowl on her face, but as soon as Michael dove into the warmth of Ruby's embrace the scowl rose into a smirk. "He's quite the little con man."

Ruby smiled and ruffled the little boy's hair, "Well done, Michael. Lucy, it looks like you have yourself quite the knight in shining armour." Michael stood proudly and puffed his little chest out as Ruby lowered her head to whisper in Lucy's ear. "Be careful, Lucy, or some other girl is going to steal him from right under your nose." The little girls face was so red it could have been glowing as she hid it in her hands. "And Michael, I'm proud of you."

"Even though I didn't fight them?"

"Especially because you didn't fight them. You used your brain and figured out a plan to get back at all those boys, instead of running in head first and getting beaten up." Pyrrha said, with a warm smile on her face.

"Michael, I am going to tell you something that I want you to always remember when the other boys call you names, okay?" The boy nodded. "Fighting and winning all your battles doesn't make you the best."

"It doesn't?"

"No, it doesn't. Being the best means you can beat your enemy without needing to fight. Understand?"

"Yes Miss Monique."

"Good," Ruby smiled and pulled them in for one last hug. "Now, you two run along and play, okay?"

"Okay." "Bye Miss Monique!" And with that both children ran downstairs to join the other kids.

Ruby smiled once more before standing up and looking at Pyrrha. "Long time no see, Pyrrha." She said as she pulled the taller woman into a hug. "How are you?"

Pyrrha returned the hug and smiled. "I'm alright, we're a little short on money this month though, but we're scraping by," she turned to look at Weiss who had remained silent up until now. "And who's this, Red? Get yourself a new girlfriend?"

Both girls blushed at Pyrrha's comment while stammering out denials. She couldn't help but laugh at the reactions she had induced, and she reached a hand out, "Alright, I believe you. I'm Pyrrha. Jaune and I run this orphanage together."

Weiss accepted the hand and shook it. "Pleasure to meet you Pyrrha, I'm Weiss."

"Weiss and I are working together on a job and we need to pick up a dress that was supposed to be delivered here yesterday."

"Ah, yes, that's back in my office. But before you leave, Red, there's something I need to talk to you about," Pyrrha's eyes flicked from the brunette to the white-haired girl behind her. "In private."

"Sure thing," Ruby turned to Weiss. "You think you could wait outside?"

"Fine." Weiss replied, though rather unwilling. She made her way down the stairs to join Jaune and the children outside while Ruby and Pyrrha made their way into Pyrrha's office.

Ruby shut the door and turned to the crimson haired women behind her, "So what's this about?"

Pyrrha took a deep breath and looked Ruby in the eye.

"It's about your mother."

Weiss sat on the back porch of the orphanage, watching Michael and Lucy run around with the other children. It must be nice having friends at such a young age. No one trying to get something from you, your biggest worry being what team you were on and if you were picked last. Instead she had lessons from the crack of dawn to noon, fencing practice for three hours, then more lessons until it was time for dinner, then bed. Any thought of complaining was quickly beaten out of her by her father. In fact, thanks to her father she was never allowed the opportunity to make friends. She was homeschooled, and not allowed to leave except for public events. Any deviation from his rules and she was introduced to the back of his hand, though after France he had quickly replaced his hand with his belt and made sure to only hit places that were hidden by clothes. As she watched these children, who literally had nothing, running and playing she felt jealous. Sure, she was rich and could have whatever she wanted, and for that she was extremely lucky, and should do nothing to jeopardize the company or her family name, else she be responsible for them losing everything. But she was jealous nonetheless.

She was brought out her pit of self-deprecation by the sound of the porch creaking as the blonde haired boy from before sat next to her. "Hi there," he said. "So you're working with Red?"

"Yes, I am. Though I'm not without my doubts working with a girl who addresses herself as a colour and nothing more."

Jaune laughed. "Yeah it is kinda weird, but she must trust you quite a bit if she told you her name, instead of using some sort alias."

"Really?" Weiss asked.

"Oh yeah! Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, and I knew her as Monique Teller for two and half years before she told us it was an alias."

"That's strange, she just introduced herself as Red to me when we met."

"Wow that is weird. She's only told a handful of people that. And only Yang and Blake know her real name, and that's because Yang's her sister, and Blake's Yang's partner."

"Why does she do that? Go by a fake name all the time?"

"I'm not really sure, but I think it's her way of keeping her distance. Red's an incredibly kind women, despite, you know, the whole international criminal thing."

"Yes, I'm aware of her kindness. She's letting me stay at her place for the next couple weeks while we prepare for our job." There was that strange feeling again, like last night, her chest seemed to tighten and a strange warmth moved through her body making her realise how cold she felt before.

"Oh that's just the tip of the iceberg," Jaune said. The ball the kids were playing with rolled towards his feet and he stood and kicked back towards them, a gentle smile on his face. "At least once a month Red stops by and donates a couple thousand to the orphanage, along with helping out with repairs when she can. She also regularly gets gifts to make the kids' lives better, and a few of them, like Michael and Lucy, genuinely love her like some sort of super-nanny. And on top of all that, Monique Teller owns this building along with a few other in the neighbourhood, and she managed to convince the local gangs to leave us alone too."

"Wow, no wonder everyone in this neighbourhood likes her."

"No, everyone in this part of town loves her. Before she came along this was one of the worst parts of town. More people lived on the streets than in houses, gangs seemed to always be using it as some sort of battle ground, and from what I hear, the entire neighbourhood was owned by a pimp who was known for killing someone if they so much as looked at him funny and employing girls who were barely legal."

"That's horrendous!" Weiss exclaimed. The thought that this neighbourhood, which while still somewhat shady was admittedly very quaint, could have been a hub for such horrors was inconceivable.

"Yup," replied Jaune. "But then three years ago Red came and everything started changing for the better. She poured something like ninety-five percent of the money she made from doing everything from grand theft to espionage. She put money in the right hands to make sure the pimp was taken care of, got the gangs out and opened up the orphanage. That's when I got here."

"How did you and Pyrrha end up here?"

"We both worked as information brokers and fences together-"

"-Fences?" Weiss asked.

"Yup. Generally people would steal things, and we would sell them to the right buyer. Though neither of us were nearly as good as Red at either job though. Anyways, so Pyrrha and I are on our way to pick up this rare Persian sculpture, when we get a text from Red saying it's a set up."

"So she saves you two from prison and in return you run an orphanage?"

"Sort of, we work as sort of information gatherers for her. Getting info from the lower parts of the city and sending it to her. Ren and Nora do the same, but they work more on the Wall Street side of things."

"Except I actually had to spring Ren and Nora from an NYPD holding cell." Weiss turned around and saw Red standing over her with a briefcase in one hand and the dress she bought Weiss yesterday in the other.

"We get you anything useful?" Jaune asked, standing up to let Red walk down the steps of the porch.

"Oh yeah, tons!" Said Red with that same lopsided grin that made Weiss's chest tighten uncomfortably every time she saw it. "Thanks, Jaune! I'll be sure to drop by again soon!" She waved the arm with dress way over head as she and Weiss made their way back up the alley.

"Alright, Red. We'll be here." Jaune said. "See ya Weiss, and good luck!"

She waved back to the blonde haired man before hurrying to catch up to Red. She looked at the dress draped over Red's back, its navy blue contrasting with the bright crimson of the taller girl's hoodie reminded of their conversation yesterday.

"So what are you going to wear for the party?" She asked, by now she was fairly certain of the younger woman's abilities and it was only a small part of her that was still worried that Red would show up to a black-tie affair dressed as a hoodlum.

"I dunno, something nice."

"Something nice?"

"Yup."

She reached forward and flicked Red in the ear.

"Ow! What was that for?!" Red exclaimed, bringing her shoulder up to her ear as her hands were filled.

"You dolt! Why didn't you buy a dress when we were getting mine?"

"Because princess, I dunno if you noticed when you were borrowing one of my night gowns, but I have entire rooms filled with clothes back home! I don't need to buy a dress!"

"Fine but you're going to pick something out when we get back."

"Ugh, fine," Red groaned.

They walked back to Red's warehouse in relative silence. Weiss took the opportunity to process everything she had learned about the woman walking next to her. After all that Jaune had told her, she felt even worse about how harshly she had treated Red. Here was a girl who had the skills to already have enough money to be living on a warm beach on a small island with no extradition laws, but instead she poured everything she had into helping the children at that orphanage and ensuring they didn't end up like her. She even went so far as to use a fake name at all times so no would be able to get close to her. Here was a girl who had willingly decided to separate herself from the world, all in order to make it a better place, and instead of getting crushed by the loneliness that came with that separation, she faced it with a smile on her face and the optimism that tomorrow would be better than today.

That was all it took for her to get it. She had read about this moment, but none of the books in her father's library did it justice. The written word may be one of the best methods of capturing an individual's feelings in the most eloquent of fashions, allowing a reader to empathise with, and sometimes even, emulate those feelings. But even the most articulate of descriptions paled pathetically when compared to actually _having_ those feelings.

She had to accept it.

She was falling for a girl she had known for just over a week, and whose name was a mystery.

Except…

She couldn't accept it.

It wasn't that it had only taken a week for her to develop feelings for the brunette walking next to her. That simply meant she would have more time to get to know the girl on a personal level and be able to enjoy it more than anything else.

It wasn't that the only thing she had to call her was a colour. She didn't care if she ever learned Red's real name. To the heiress she was Red, and like a rose, any other name would be just as sweet.

No. The problem was she was falling for a _girl._

There was no way her father would ever allow something like that to happen. The last time this had happened was the first time he had used his belt instead of his hand, and she would never forget the pain or the confusion. What had she done wrong? She had finally worked up the courage to ask out her first crush, and during the date they shared a small kiss. She still wasn't quite sure how her father had found out, but she knew that if he could do it once, he could do it again, and this time the punishment would be far worse.

They arrived at the warehouse and Weiss immediately excused herself to the bathroom. She managed to lock the door before her strength failed and she collapsed to the ground. She didn't know when the tears had started falling but now that they were, they refused to stop. For the first time in years she cried. She cried for all the chances she had missed. Even more, she cried for all the chances she would miss. She would never know what it felt like to feel safe in someone's arms. She would never know the warmth of being cared for. She would never be able to love, and if it felt anything like what she was feeling now, she didn't know whether she wanted to. Because right now…it hurt.

She didn't know how long she had been sitting on that bathroom floor sobbing before she heard a gentle knock on the door.

"Hey Weiss," Red's voice was laced with concern as it flowed through the door. "I don't know what is you're going through, but if you need to talk. Like ever. I'm here for you."

She sat there in silence until she heard Red's footsteps leaving. What could she possibly have done to deserve this? The first time she's told that someone will be there for her, and she has no choice but to reject it? No. She wouldn't allow that to happen. At the very least she was going to do everything she possibly could so that she could be there for the girl who in one short week showed her more affection and care than anyone had in her entire life.

Her resolved strengthened, she wiped her eyes, opened the door and, for the first time, knew exactly what to do.


	8. Chapter 8: Party in the USA

**A/N: Update time! So before I get started, I just wanna give props to ocomfv for making a really cool analogy that I myself hadn't even made. They said "Ruby still fights monsters except their names are poverty, homelessness, and neglect." Gotta say, thank you for making my version of Ruby seem even more badass. Anyways I got another pretty long one for you guys, and I thought I'd start it off with a little bit of fluff to balance out the heavy note we ended on last chapter.**

**It occurs to me that I might have needed to put some trigger warnings in there last time, so in case you still didn't know:**

**TRIGGER WARNING: Parental Abuse.**

**There, now with that out of the way, please enjoy chapter eight of Scattered Petals.**

The last week and half had flown by and before Ruby knew it, she and Weiss were busy preparing for the big party. She had spent the last week and a half teaching Weiss as much about the art of grifting as she could, knowing the girl had to find some way to get herself invited to their headquarters in Miami as well, or else the entire job was botched. She had also grown closer to the heiress in the time they spent together. Sure Weiss still got mad at her, and thought it was her responsibility to lecture Ruby on everything under the sun. But now, it was more good natured and the brunette knew that the heiress never really meant any harm by it. Their time together was coming to an end, and as Ruby finished her makeup and walked out of her change room, she couldn't help but wish it had lasted longer. Well on the bright side, if all went according to plan, they'd be seeing each other in just one short month.

_And in the sunshine state to boot! _

Why was she so excited? This wouldn't be the first time she found someone she worked with someone attractive, but, somehow, it was different with the heiress. She didn't know what it was about the silver haired woman that made her lose control. Whenever she was around her, Ruby couldn't help but let all the masks just start to slip away.

She made her way downstairs and was greeted by a goddess in a blue dress. Weiss looked even more beautiful than the first time she had tried on the dress. Her hair was done up in a simple ponytail that hung off centre and her long, white bangs framed her face beautifully.

"Well, what do you think?" Weiss asked as she crossed her arms over her midsection nervously.

"You're beautiful."

It wasn't gushing, or bubbling, or light. It was one of the most grounded, honest things Ruby had ever said.

The heiress's cheeks were dusted with a light pink as she blushed and looked at the ground.

"Alright, enough of that," Ruby said, reaching out and grabbing the soft interiors of Weiss's elbows, and whatever strange feelings Ruby had been having were tossed to the wayside in favor of comforting the woman before her. Comforting, coaching, teaching. It was all that mattered. Because Weiss was beautiful, and she needed to be reminded of that.

She needed Weiss to see that more than anything.

"First rule of grifting," Ruby said, prying Weiss's arms apart. They fell to the shorter woman's sides but Ruby didn't let them go.

"You are the draw. You are temptation. You gotta make people wanna listen to you. No one wants to listen to someone who hunches over and keeps her head down." Ruby put a hand at the base of Weiss's spine, tilting her chin up with the other simultaneously.

"I know that! You act like I've never done public speaking before."

"Then prove it," Ruby's voice lowered as she continued. "Remember what I said when we first got this: the dress doesn't matter. It's supplement, it's an aid, but it _isn't _the force. A lot of first timers make that mistake. They think the clothes and the references will do the job for them. Wrong. You gotta do your homework. Know the mark. And reel them in with the confidence of preparedness. 'Cause you own them. You control them. The story flows from your reconnaissance, and the plan from your preparedness. Got it?"

Weiss didn't look back up at Ruby. She stood still as a marble statue and nodded her head once.

"You know what con is short for, right? To con someone?" Ruby asked, voice almost a whisper. "It's a _con_fidence trick. You don't take their money. You don't take their paintings, or their stocks, or their blueprints, or their chimpanzees-"

"Chimpanzees?"

"Another time," Ruby continued. "You take their trust. 'Cause once you've got that, you've got them. You integrate yourself and take their confidence. The alternate meaning, though, the poise, the self-confidence, that's what you've gotta show in order to take their trust in the first place. If you've got no confidence in yourself, how can you expect them to have confidence in you?" Ruby asked, squeezing Weiss's arms. "Now," she whispered, they were close enough to touch noses, and Ruby felt herself getting lost in the icy blue depths of Weiss's eyes. "Shoulders back," she instructed as she stepped back before she had a chance to do something she knew she would regret.

"I really wish I could hire you and fire all my other etiquette teachers," Weiss said as she smiled at Ruby with the confidence that the con woman was used to seeing in the heiress.

"Nah, I'd rather just stay your friend," Ruby said as she grabbed her bag off the table and made her way towards the warehouse doors. She turned and noticed Weiss wasn't walking next to her. "You coming?" she asked.

Weiss simply stared at her, dumbstruck.

"Weiss? You okay?" Ruby asked.

"You're my…friend?" Weiss asked, with a look of shock and disbelief.  
>"Well, of course, silly! Now come on!"<p>

Red wasn't making this easy. It was supposed to be simple, indulge herself in the brunette's company for their remaining time together, get over this silly crush, then go home. But every day Weiss spent around the young con woman, the thought of separation became more and more depressing. And now, she had to go and say something like _that_, and throw the heiress for yet another loop.

But wait-

Red had said they were friends. It had been so long since Weiss had anybody that she could call her friend, she had forgotten what it felt like. Maybe that was it. Maybe that was what the heiress was feeling. Maybe it was just friendship and not something else. Maybe if she kept telling herself that, she'd start to believe it.

There was only one issue with that plan. Those _damn _hips.

Red was wearing a beautiful scarlet dress that clung to her every curve like a newborn to its mother and fell from her hips in a seamless cascade of crimson that parted at her thigh, revealing legs that never seemed to end. It left little to the imagination and Weiss was finding it increasingly difficult to banish the images that leapt to the forefront of her mind. As she tried, unsuccessfully, to rid herself of these thoughts, memories of her father resurfaced.

Getting caught staring at one of the female guests at one of his corporate events.

Him taking her to his study and, in a deadly quiet voice, informing her that she was not to look at other girls in such a fashion.

Her asking why. She had simply thought the other girl looked pretty in her dress.

Him telling her that it was wrong.

Her asking why. She didn't think there was anything wrong about admiring beauty.

Him yelling that it's unnatural.

Her asking why. All she had done was think a girl was pretty.

The shock of her head being snapped to the side as he slapped her.

Her asking what she had done wrong.

The pain of being slapped a second time accompanied by her father whispering that she was sick and he would cure her.

She was thirteen years old.

"You okay Weiss?" Red's voice brought the heiress back to the present, chasing away the unpleasant memories of the past.

Weiss shook her head and looked at Red feeling her mood lighten. "No, but I will be."

"Good, 'cause we're here."

Weiss looked forward and realised that while she was being consumed by the ghosts of her past she hadn't even registered getting into a taxi or the ride over to the event. She took a deep breath, the past wasn't important, it was the present that required her full undivided attention.

It was time for her first con.

The house was ugly. Unattractive. Unappealing. Unprepossessing. There weren't enough descriptors in Ruby's extensive vocabulary to describe how aesthetically unpleasant this building was. A sore thumb on the otherwise picturesque landscape of upstate New York, the gothic gargantua was an exercise in pretension. It even had _gargoyles_. It clearly belonged to someone who desperately wished they lived in West Egg, and were trying a little too hard to prove that they had even a quanta of class.

_You're not fooling anyone buddy._

The house belonged to a Cardin Winchester, head of the New York branch of Ironwood Engineering and all around bad guy. Arrogant as he was stupid, he climbed the career ladder through intimidation and the hard work of others and now he was the girls' ticket into Ironwood's headquarters in Miami and whatever they were actually being hired for.

Ruby smiled at Weiss one last time before heading in through the front door. They flashed their invitations at the man working the door and made it inside without issue. On the bright side the interior of the mansion made up a little for the exterior. The moldings were clean-cut, the columns and arches sedate, and the yellow walls and creamy white tiles reflected the light beautifully. The chandelier and ice sculptures were ostentatious eyesores, but on the whole, the interior of the house held just the right amount of pretension, functionality, and charm.

The host, however, did not. He was sitting at what appeared to be a blackjack table and was talking loudly to the crowd that surrounded him, clearly enjoying being the center of attention. Weiss began making her way toward the crowd of party goers with her head held high and her shoulders back. It was almost too obvious to the brunette that she was nervous with the way her fists were clenched a little too tightly and her back was a little too straight. Ruby waited for Cardin's eyes to wander over to them before grabbing Weiss's arm and pulling her to another, less occupied, table.

"What are you doing? We're supposed to be talking to Cardin, not playing poker." Weiss asked as Ruby sat down at an empty seat.

"It's blackjack actually," replied Ruby as she pulled the silver-haired into the seat next to her. The dealer started to hand out cards and Ruby made sure to keep careful count while listening to Weiss rant.

"I don't care if it's spider solitaire. We're here to do a job, not gamble."

Ruby sighed, "If we just walked up to him he wouldn't listen to a thing we have to say, so instead we're gonna get him to come to us, so at least look like you're having a good time."

"Winner winner chicken dinner." The dealer said as he slid Ruby her earnings. She turned and smiled at Weiss.

"And I don't gamble." The heiress scoffed and looked at the table, but Ruby could see the small hint of a smile slipping through the woman's icy mask. One of the catering staff soon passed by and she grabbed her elbow. "Excuse me, could I get a drink for me and my lovely friend?"

The woman handed her two flutes of champagne and she handed one to Weiss as she once again beat the dealer. Pretty soon, more and more people started to crowd around their table as she kept winning more and more money.

_Good, take the attention off him._

Half an hour of winning at blackjack and pleasant conversation with Weiss later and Ruby's plan seemed to work out perfectly as she spotted Cardin making his way over from the corner of her eye. He sat down next to Weiss and flashed her what he probably thought was his most charming smile.

"Weiss Schnee, this is a pleasant surprise."

_Alright Weiss, you're up._

"Hello Mr. Winchester-"

"Please, call me Cardin."

"Alright, Cardin." Weiss said with a smile.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Well, I do love myself a good party." Ruby nearly snorted as she listened while maintaining her count. Weiss was a natural, smiling at all the right times, and saying all the right things to make Cardin think he actually stood a chance with the silver-haired beauty.

"How about you and I continue this somewhere a little more private." Ruby noticed Weiss stiffen and was sure that Cardin had as well.

"O-Oh… well-"

"Can we stop flirting and get to the real reason we're here?" Ruby interrupted, taking her cue and slipping into character. Cardin shifted his attention away from the nervous heiress and looked at Ruby for the first time that evening.

"And who, exactly, are you?"

"Sophia Zawistow." Ruby said as she handed him a business card.

"A lawyer?" He said as he read the name of the fake law firm on the card.

"Miss Schnee, maybe we should do as he says and take this somewhere more private," Ruby said before giving Cardin with a look of contempt and lowering her voice. "That is unless you're comfortable discussing the less than legal deals Ironwood has been running in front of a crowd of people who all have stakes in the company and would probably not be too happy hearing some of the things I have to say."

"Why don't we move this to my office?" Cardin said, standing up and moving toward the staircase at the back of the hall. Ruby and Weiss proceeded to follow.

"You okay?" Ruby muttered to Weiss as they followed Cardin through the crowd.

"Fine." Weiss said, keeping her eyes forward and her chin up.

"Alright, well now it's crunch time, so just follow my lead, okay?"

Weiss didn't look at Ruby, but nodded her head almost imperceptibly.

They followed Cardin up a flight of stairs and down a long twisting hallway before stopping before an elaborate set wooden doors. "In here," he said, ushering them into an office that looked like it had only been used a handful of times since its construction. He walked over to the desk and poured himself a glass of whiskey from the bottle sitting there. Ruby took the opportunity to finally give him a good once over.

His short rusty orange hair, clean shaven face, and tailored suit spoke of his wealth. The way he carried himself showed confidence, yet a second look could tell it wasn't the confidence of a successful man, but that of a school yard bully who uses his power to cover his weaknesses and put himself above others. He finished pouring his drink and turned to look at the women.

"Alright, what do you want?" Ruby smiled before answering his question.

"I've been hired by Schnee Energy to root all of Ironwood Engineering's dirty little secrets and make sure no one else does."

"And why is that?"

"Because," Weiss answered. "The Schnee Energy Corporation is interested in a merger with Ironwood Engineering. But before anything can happen, I've been put in charge of making sure that nothing that happens or has happened illegitimately within Ironwood Engineering can ever be traced back to us. Therefore, I hired Miss Zawistow, one of the best fixers in the business, to make sure that happens."

"Oh, really?" Asked Cardin, turning to Ruby, "and what 'dirty little secrets' might theses be?" Ruby smirked before replying.

"How does cutting corners by buying counterfeit parts from China for more than twenty different public projects sound?" The man visibly paled upon hearing this. "And that's just what I've found so far on the New York branch."

"W-well, unfortunately, Ironwood Engineering is a rather large company and I'm only the head of one of many U.S. based branches so I don't know of how much help I can to be to you ladies."

_Checkmate._

"We're more than aware of that," replied Weiss. "Which is why you're going to make sure that we have a meeting with Mr. Ironwood in a month, otherwise Miss Zawistow and I can just bring our information to media instead, understood?"

Cardin nodded with eyes wide before sitting at his desk and pulling out his phone. "I-I'll get right to it."

"Good. With that, I believe we're done here." Weiss said, turning to leave. "Sophia?"

"Enjoy the party," Ruby said before following the heiress out of the building.

They were a block and a half away before either said a word.

"You did good in there," Red said, looking at Weiss. "You, my friend, are a natural con woman."

"Thanks," Weiss mumbled to the ground as a blush started to form. "So what happens next?"

"Now that we have a way into Ironwood we go home and wait, then meet up in Miami in a month." Weiss felt her shoulders sag at the thought of returning to her father's house.

"So then, I guess this is where we part ways." Red looked down glumly.

"Yeah, I guess it is." The brunette looked back up and took a step closer so she was looking down into the heiress's eyes.

"Thank you, Red." Weiss said quietly, unable to look away from the twin pools of mercury.

They stood there for a moment before Red, much to Weiss's surprise, wrapped the heiress in a big hug. Normally Weiss shied away from most forms of physical contact, but before she knew what she was doing, she had wrapped her arms around the taller girl, pulling her in close. It was too soon before Red pulled away gently and smiled at her softly.

"I'll see you in a month." And with that she was gone. All Weiss was left with was the faint scent of roses and a lingering warmth in her chest.

She turned and headed towards her father's house. Red had said that they were going home and waiting, but she wasn't.

She would never be at home where she was going.


	9. Chapter 9: Sunshine and Stuff

**A/N: Alright update time! In fact I've got another double update for you guys today. So we've finally gotten past the party, now we're time to see a bit more of the con woman part of Ruby's personality, and a few other things too!**

**Enjoy!**

Florida!

Ruby finished her third margarita and trotted barefoot along the sands of Miami Beach. It was twilight, and a blood-red sun descended dismally over the palms toward the west, the north breeze off the Gulf inducing excited shivers. The off-season was just beginning as most people's Christmas breaks had finished a week ago, and she was enjoying the peaceful seclusion as she played footsie with the incoming tide.

It had been a long month since she had met a beautiful, white-haired heiress and pulled a simple con with her to score invitations into the headquarters of Ironwood Engineering in Miami. She tried to keep busy as much as possible, taking jobs whenever they cropped up, no matter how small, and going around the country making sure the money she sent to the different orphanages was being spent properly.

Of course this also meant she hadn't had a proper night's sleep in almost two weeks, but whatever kept her mind off Weiss was good.

_Dammit._

And just like that the heiress was back at the forefront of her mind. She was sure that it wasn't healthy to be thinking about someone this much, but she couldn't seem to help herself. And on top of it, her sister was always there to make fun of her for it making the dark-haired con woman regret accidentally gushing in front of her when they saw each other a weak after her and Weiss had parted ways.

Sighing, she made her way back to the beachfront cabana where her team was supposed to meet to discuss the details of what might be the nicest job she had ever taken. A beach resort and a twenty million dollar payout? Ruby didn't care who she was robbing, or what she was stealing, she was on she would have jumped at the opportunity, except for the one little hiccup. She was being forced to take point on the job.

Normally she was fine with being the center of attention like that, hell her job consisted of grabbing people's attention, but that was always on her terms and always after careful planning. Being the leader on a job this big meant being at the forefront at all the wrong times and she hated that.

She tripped on the steps up to the small beachfront cabana, and opened the screen door before stumbling onto the couch and collapsing into the comfortably cushions.

_Probably shouldn't have had that third margarita. Or the second. Or those two strawberry sunrises..._

"Good evening, Red."

"'Evening Goodwitch. That wine for me?"

Glynda Goodwitch stood next a table covered in different files pouring herself a glass of Chardonnay while she eyed Ruby through her slim rectangular glasses. She normally acted as the go between for Ruby, and on more than one occasion her sister and her Blake, and her husband Ozpin who preferred to operate more in the background and whom Ruby had only actually seen once. He ran a tight ship, and was normally the one who supplied the young con women with her bigger jobs.

"You look like you've already had enough to drink."

"Fine," Ruby said, rolling her eyes "So, any insider information you care to share?"

"I would rather not discuss the details of your job until the others have arrived," she replied before smirking, "but, knowing you, everything I have to say will be old news anyway."

"Maybe…" Ruby said with a wink.

"Oh, is the party starting already?" A voice called from the entrance way. The heavy footfalls of boots creaking against the floorboards.

"Yang!" Ruby exclaimed, turning around in her seat to get wrapped up in one of her sister's (in)famous bear hear hugs.

"Hey sis! How ya doin'?" Yang said cheerily as she made her way across the table to sit in one of the loveseats.

"Good evening, Miss Xiao Long. Miss Belladonna."

"Good evening, Glynda. How are you?" Blake said as she silently joined Ruby's sister on the loveseat.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Hey Glynda, got any beer?"

"There should be some Corona in the fridge."

"Sweet! You want one Blakey?"

"Can we get this started? I've got, like, a week and a half to do some prep and get into contact with my friends down here, and I want to know how much effort this is gonna need." Ruby whined, rolling her head to the back of the couch.

"We're waiting on our fifth," Goodwitch said.

"No need to wait, I'm here."

Ruby turned at the voice, gasping at what she saw.

Weiss was standing in the corner, dressed as impeccably as ever, in a snow white blouse that seemed to shine it was so bright, and a dark blue skirt that made her porcelain legs look like works of art. But what drew her attention was the addition of the line of scar tissue across her left eye that definitely wasn't there the last time she saw the heiress.

Ruby was stupefied, concerned, and tipsy.

"Ahh, Miss Schnee, glad you could join us."

Weiss didn't respond, instead opting to take the only open seat in the room.

Right next to Ruby on the couch.

The silver-haired women stalked to the furthest end and pushed two patterned cushions toward the middle, creating a makeshift barrier. Okay, that was a little rude. Luckily Ruby was a little too tipsy to get annoyed and simply sat there awkwardly, deciding instead to close her eyes for a moment to collect her thoughts. She was soon lost to the lulling effects of the Florida warmth and the alcohol in her system.

Weiss couldn't believe her eyes, they were twenty minutes into this Goodwitch women's presentation and Red had been lightly snoring the entire time, the smell of alcohol wafting lightly into the heiress nose, along with something that smelled suspiciously of roses. She had been so distracted by the con woman that she hadn't even processed a single thing the blonde women had said to her. This was the person who was going to be leading this job? Unacceptable. She wasn't about to take orders from a girl who not only was her junior, but clearly wasn't taking this seriously. And on top of it all her eye had started throbbing again, making her extra irritable.

Goodwitch dropped a stack of files on the table and looked at the group, drawing Weiss's attention back to the stern looking women and bring Red back into the world of the living.

"So, any questions?"

"I have one, we're about to steal one hundred million dollars from a man who hires ex-marines for his own private security, and we're letting _her _be the leader?" She said, standing up and pointing at a disgruntled looking Red.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"What that's supposed to mean is that you're nothing but an insufferable child."

"There's a string of gentlemen from here to Sydney that would disagree with you."

"Oh, I'm sure they're _intimately _familiar with all aspects of your person."

"Alright, what the fuck is _that_ supposed to mean?!" Red shouted.

"I'm standing in a room full of criminals, and the one who I don't even know the name of is the one I'm supposed to be trusting with my life? On top of that, she sleeps through a briefing, and we're supposed to just expect her to take this seriously? No."

"Weiss, where is this coming fro-?"

"This Ozpin guy, whoever he is, made a mistake."

And with that, Weiss stormed and headed to her own cabana.

Ruby couldn't believe what just happened. She had excitedly waited a month to reunite with the grouchy yet well-meaning heiress that she had befriended, but instead, Weiss acted just like she had when they first met. If not worse. What could've happened over the last month to cause her to retreat behind those icy walls? Ruby didn't know, but she guessed it had something to do with that scar on her eye. She had seen glimpses of some of the marks on the heiress's back during their time together in New York, but had opted to not say anything as it seemed that Weiss was making an effort to hide them. Seeing this new cicatrix on the silver haired girls face, she had started putting the pieces together. She had thought about asking about it, but never got the chance, and now that she had sobered up some, decided that she would wait for the heiress to bring it up en lieu of asking herself.

Still, she had to find out what was wrong with her, but as she made her way outside after her, Weiss was already gone. She sighed and was about to go look for her but was halted by a voice she had only seen once before.

"Well, I suppose that could have gone better."

Ruby turned around and was facing a tall middle-aged man with tousled gray hair and thin brown eyes. He wore a pair of shaded glass spectacles and had a thin green cotton scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. In his right hand was an ornate cane, and in his left a cup of steaming coffee.

"Ozpin! You're here?"

"Yes, you're uncle wanted to come but he got caught up in some issues with the Burmese government, so I came in his stead. He sends his love, by the way, to you and your sister."

"Oh, thanks, I guess."

"Now, what are you going to do about the young heiress?" Ruby flushed with embarrassment.

"You saw that?"

"Unfortunately…"

"So, was she right?"

"Right about what? You being an insufferable child? Because I don't think I'm qualified to answer that."

"No," Ruby giggled slightly, before frowning again. "Was she right about you, you know, making a mistake in picking me?"

"Red. I've made more mistakes than any one person you will ever meet. But at this moment I would not consider appointing you the leader for this job to be one of them. Do you?"

"Well it certainly doesn't feel like I've been doing a great job at it." Ruby said, looking down.

"Being a team leader isn't just a title you carry about, but a badge you wear constantly. Not only will the responsibility fall upon your shoulders should this job fail and you are caught, but it runs deeper than that. If you are not always preforming at your absolute best, then what reason do you give others to follow you?"

"But what if I can't?" Ruby asked, her feelings of insecurity rising to the surface faster than a rocket.

"You've been burdened with a daunting responsibility Ruby, I suggest you take some time to think about how you will uphold it."

"Okay," Ruby said, before turning and heading to her cabana. "Thanks Ozpin!" She had taken three steps before it dawned on her.

"Wait, how do you know-"

She turned around and found herself alone, "-my name…"

_Great, yet another thing to think about, _she thought with a yawn._ I think it's time for bed. I'll find Weiss and work things out with her when I'm more awake. _She stumbled and cursed under her breath, _and less drunk._

Weiss had been tossing and turning for several hours when she heard the screen door on her cabana gently slide open. She was about to get out of bed when she felt a hand grab her by the front of her neckline and lift her up against the wall of her room. She opened her mouth to scream, but felt another strong hand cover her mouth, preventing any sound from escaping. She flailed around wildly, trying to fight her attacker, but whoever it was, they were much stronger than she was and simply held her there ignoring her weak attempts at fighting back. Then the bedside lamp was turned on by a second person in the room and she saw her attackers.

Holding her up against the wall was the blonde woman from the meeting earlier that night, and standing next to her was the black haired one who had sat next to the brute. She vaguely remembered their faces from a Skype call several weeks ago, but couldn't remember their names.

She looked between the black haired one who stood with her arms crossed and a look of annoyance on her face and the blonde barbarian holding her up who looked downright furious.

"Good evening, Weiss," The black haired one said cooly. "I'm Blake, and this is Yang. We came to have a couple of words with you. Now, Yang's gonna put you down, and we're all going to have a nice civil conversation, got it?"

Weiss nodded and Yang dropped her to the floor not unlike a sack of potatoes.

"What is the matter with you two?!" Weiss nearly screamed before Blake put a finger to her lips.

"Quiet now, wouldn't want to wake the neighbours would we?" Yang cracked her knuckles and Weiss gulped.

"Wh-what is you two want?" She asked in a lower register.

"Well, you see," Yang said as she crouched down and got more than a little too close for comfort. "I don't really appreciate people badmouthing my little sister, and while I was more than happy to beat an apology out of you right there and then, Blakey here had a better idea."

"O-okay, but what does that have to do with breaking into my room in the middle of the night and hurling me against a wall?"

"We just wanted to talk to you," Blake replied, "and I thought it best we establish our credibility beforehand."

"Okay, but why?" Weiss was started to get annoyed by the raven haired women, but with the flaxen Neanderthal looming over her, she wasn't about to let it show.

"So that when we say that everything you said about Red is bullshit you'll be more inclined to believe us."

"Oh, really? So break into my room and rough me up so that I'll do what? Believe that that dolt is just as good as you?"

"Nope," Yang replied, "see, we already know that you spent some time with her so that should be enough proof that she's good." Weiss blushed as memories of spilled pasta sauce and red dresses flashed to the forefront of her mind.

"We're here to convince you that she's the best." Weiss scoffed.

"Oh please, you expect me to believe that an eighteen year old girl is one of the best criminals there is?"

"Yup," Yang said proudly.

"Weiss, if you look any of us up, do you know what thing all our files would have in common?" Blake asked.

"I don't know, probably a lot of things." This was getting tiresome, and Weiss's eye was starting to hurt again.

"The biggest thing Yang, her sister, and I have in common is that we've all been to prison at least once."

"That's nice, but what does it have to d-"

"The thing you won't find on the file though, is that, unlike Yang and me, Red wanted to get caught."

"Why would she do tha-"

"Ah ah, Ice Queen. No interrupting, let Blake finish." Yang said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Thank you, Yang. Now, seeing as you're new to this whole "criminal underworld" thing, let me explain:

When you get caught, everything about you is put into the system. Now, normally, this makes life significantly more difficult for a criminal, as the authorities now have a trail to follow. Therefore, you get people like Ozpin and Yang's uncle, who stay far away from the whole thing so that nothing can be traced back to them. Red decided to do the complete opposite."

"Wait-what? That makes no sense. How does she not get arrested just walking around?" Weiss asked. She couldn't wrap her mind around a girl who was wanted around the world yet who walked around with her head held high, instead of hiding away in some South American country without extradition laws.

"'Cause she uses the system to her advantage," Yang said. "The girl is wanted for grand theft, larceny, espionage, breaking and entering, extortion, embezzlement, fraud, forgery, money laundering, the works!"

"I still don't understand." This was starting to get really frustrating.

"Look," Yang said. "Most criminals try to leave as little behind as possible after a crime, right?" Weiss nodded. "My sister does the opposite, she leaves almost everything behind. There's so much information in her file that there's no telling who she really is. And which who did what thing. And what who stole which thing. Or who which-"

"Stop before you give yourself an aneurism," Blake interrupted. "Basically, she floods the system with information. Who's to say what's correct? Say they have evidence but they can't prove her identity. There's no one to link it to because she's protected herself with more aliases than the feds can keep straight."

Weiss was flabbergasted. How could one girl, barely be on the cusp of adulthood be able to come up with such a complex plan, and be able to fool law enforcement agencies all around the world? But, even knowing that, there were still issues and she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

"Okay, fine. So Red's some sort of criminal savant. That still doesn't excuse her spending the entire meeting in a drunken coma instead of listening for crucial information."

"We're not done yet," Blake said. "She took you to that little orphanage in New York, right?" Weiss nodded. "Because that's not the only one. Red's been using almost all of her money to build orphanages all over the country, and clean up the streets around them. In fact she's just started getting the ball rolling on a few international projects too."

"You wanna know what my sister plans on using the money she makes off this job for?" Yang asked, "any sensible person would take their twenty million and rush off to an early retirement, but instead, my stupid little sister is gonna funnel almost all of it into those orphanages. She's even tried to hire me to be private security on a couple of the international ones. She puts everything she has into helping people, and works herself ragged making sure that no one has to end up like her. And she only asks for one thing in return from the people she helps. You wanna know what my sister asks of someone in return for saving their life?"

Weiss nodded. Feeling slightly intimidated by the intenseness in the blonde's eyes.

"She asks for information." Blake finished. "In return for helping people in any way she can, she asks them to gather information however they can. The girl has an information network from here to Russia, that's ingrained in everything from street gangs and the slums, to Wall Street. Those files that Goodwitch gave us? More than eighty-five percent of the information was gathered by Red herself. So you'll forgive us if we allow the girl a moment of rest every once in a while."

This was too much, Weiss knew that Red was a good person she had seen that for herself back in New York. How could she have forgotten all that when the thought of the girl was one of the only things that got her through the last month at her father's house. She looked out the window of the bedroom and saw that the sun was just starting to rise and sighed before looking back at the two women in front of her.

"Do you know where Red is right now?"

"She should be in her cabana, which coincidently, is next door." Blake answered.

"I need to talk to her." Weiss declared, standing up and heading for the door.

"Weiss, before you go," Yang said, also standing, "there's something you should know."

"What now?"

"It's just that…" faster than Weiss could follow Yang punched her in the gut with all the force of a wrecking ball, knocking the wind out of the heiress and causing her to double over as Yang got dangerously close to her ear, "…I don't take kindly to people insulting my little sister." She whispered. And with that, the two of them left Weiss on the ground gasping for air and headed back to the cabana, and comfy bed, they both shared.

**A/N: I know I should've included it in the actual chapter part, but in case you were wondering, when Yang is "too close for comfort", I actually had a vision of her being, like, a foot and a half away and Weiss just really doesn't like people being close to her. Oh well I'm tired and I'm rambling :P. Make sure to read the next chapter as it's a double update.**


	10. Chapter 10: Even More Stuff

**A/N: As promised, here is the second chapter for you guys. Thought I would give you guys a little happy-fluffy stuff after such a big falling out. What did you guys think? I personally enjoyed writing the reveal of Weiss's scar. Just cause I'm finding that it's fun to use ambiguity and suggestion to (hopefully) get you guys thinking about what's gonna happen next and stuff like that. Anyways this one is only a little bit shorter than the last chapter, so I'll stop wasting your time and we can get to what you guys really came for.**

**Enjoy! :D**

It took a good twenty minutes before Weiss was able to breathe normally and get to her feet._ Note to self: stay on Yang's good side._ She made her way outside and gulped down the refreshing scent of the ocean as she thought about all that she had learned about the mysterious con woman known as Red.

She had known that the girl did what she could, but she had no idea that she had been working with someone who was a borderline saint. She thought about what Yang had told her about how Red worked herself ragged financing and helping orphanages not just all over the country, but all over the world. These thoughts brought back memories of one Weiss's first nights staying at Red's warehouse-turned- flat. Memories of Red standing in the doorway of her kitchen, wearing nothing but a bra and a pair of jeans that had to be a size or two too small with how perfectly they hugged the brunettes legs, telling Weiss that she wasn't being selfless in letting Weiss stay with her. That she needed to this job to go well. And now, it turned out that her selfish reason for befriending the heiress and letting her spend two weeks in her home was a compulsion to help others.

_What a dunce._ Weiss thought with a smile as she made her way towards Red's cabana. Her smile turned into a frown as these memories brought with them a tightness to her chest that she had been trying to bury for the last month. Her eye throbbed as she jiggled the handle to Red's front door, only to find it locked. The pain serving as a grim reminder of what the consequences were for being unable to rid herself of these "peverse" feelings she was having, and for being unable to keep her "condition" under control.

But as she made her way around the cabana and found Red asleep on a hanging bench facing the ocean, an open file on her chest and a small blue blanket tangled around her legs, it stopped. And as she took in the adorable ay her mouth hung open slightly as her head threatened to fall off the arm of the bench, she found herself smiling. And as the light of the rising sun hit the younger woman, she gasped. The light made the dark brown of Red's hair shine in a myriad of hues, and Weiss saw, upon closer inspection, that at the roots and of Red's hair and at the tips of a few sections, it was red. It was a shade of red that Weiss had never seen grow in someone's hair before; instead of the normal coppery orange most redheads were attributed with, Red's hair was a deep crimson, it was so dark at places that it blended perfectly with the almost black shade that dominated the rest the girl's head.

_She's beautiful._ Weiss thought, and that old tightness was back with a vengeance. But instead of reminding Weiss of the hell she had gone through over the last month, it chased the bad memories away and filled her entire body with a warmth that she had never felt before.

Red stirred and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like "white", snapping Weiss back to reality. She blushed as she realised that she would have been perfectly content to stand there admiring the girl in front of her forever, and that doing so, even for as long as she had, was probably considered creepy by most.

She crouched down and grabbed Red's shoulder before shaking her gently. After one soft push, Red's eyes flew open, and she shot into a sitting position, looking around wildly before her eyes landed on Weiss and silver met icy blue.

"Weiss! W-what are doing here? No. Sorry. I should apologize first before anything. Look, I'm really, really sorry about last night, and as soon as I got back I sat down and started reading the file, but I was really tired, and a little tipsy, and I ended falling asle-"

Weiss put her hand on Red's mouth, cutting her off before she could finish her rambling. "How do you take your coffee and your eggs?" She asked, keeping her voice soft and gentle before removing her hand.

"U-um, cream and five sugars and scrambled!" Red squeaked.

"Wait here." Weiss said, standing up and heading into the cabana. She made a beeline for the coffee machine and was halfway through counting the scoops of grains when Red walked in.

Without any pants.

Red was in an oversized black t-shirt with an ornate red rose on the middle. It hung off one of her shoulders, revealing a significant portion of her perfect collar bone, and only hung low enough to cover what was absolutely necessary. She noticed Weiss staring and smirked before winking seductively at the heiress.

"Like what you see?"

Blushing, Weiss quickly returned her attention to the coffee machine and noticed that the filter was starting to overflow with grounds she had unconsciously scooped in. if it was possible, she became even more flustered as she poured the grounds back in the container and started to count out the number of scoops, making sure to keep her eyes firmly set forward as Red took a seat at the counter behind her.

"Are those the only clothes you have?" Red asked, before yawning and revealing two sets of perfect teeth.

"You aren't wearing pants," Weiss responded, crouching down to get a pan out of a pantry after which she went to the fridge to grab some eggs. Anything to keep her mind off the nearly naked girl sitting five feet from her. "I'm fairly certain I'd win if we were comparing acceptable daywear."

"Daywear is the key. I just sleep in this."

"Oh."

_That should have been obvious. Come on Weiss, get it together!_

"Which reminds me, what happened to the clothes we got you last time?"

"I had to get rid of them as they were not of a high enough caliber for someone of my stature." Weiss said, repeating what her father had told her.

"That's fine you can borrow some of mine, and we'll go shopping later."

"I would like that."

Weiss cracked another egg over a bowl and started to whisk them in order to scramble them, as they sat there in silence.

"Look I-"

"Listen I-"

Both women blushed as they shut their mouths. Red indicated for Weiss to go first and proceeded to look down and study the counter. Weiss sighed.

"Look, Red, I-I'm sorry for what I said last night. It was completely unjustified, and I shouldn't have acted that way."

"It's alright, I forgive you," Red said, as she looked up and smiled at Weiss. "I shouldn't have been drinking so much before the meeting anyways."

"Why were you drinking?" Weiss asked. Red's smile faded, and she went back to studying the counter with a sigh.

"How old are you, Weiss?" Well that was a bit unexpected.

"Twenty-one. Why?" Red sighed again and looked back at Weiss. Her normally cheerful silver eyes were gray with a storm of insecurity.

"I'm eighteen- or at least I'm pretty sure I'm eighteen, and I've done more despicable things than you would care to know. I'm eighteen, and two of my only friends are a cat-burglar and a hit-man- well hit-woman, but that's beside the point. I'm eighteen, and I'm about to infiltrate one of the largest corporations in the world, and attempt to steal over a hundred million dollars."

Weiss's attention left the breakfast she was making as she scraped the eggs onto two plates, and she looked at the girl sitting before her. She looked at her and she saw more than just a con-woman. She saw a girl who was doing this not because she wanted to, but because she had no other choice. She looked at her and she saw something that she herself knew all too well.

"You're afraid," she said.

Red nodded.

"You're eighteen, and you're afraid."

Another nod.

"I-I-why are you telling me this?" Weiss asked. This was the same girl who had quoted Kingman Brewster Jr., saying how she liked to play things close to the chest, and now she was spilling her guts out to the heiress.

Red shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe I'm just lulling you into a false sense of security. Maybe I'm manipulating you, like the conniving little bitch I-"

"Stop."

Red froze and the only thing that could be heard was the squawking of birds, and the rush of waves as Weiss padded her way around the counter and did something she never thought she would do.

She walked up to the girl curled up on the stool and wrapped her arms around her. She felt Red stiffen and was worried her offer of comfort would be rejected. She sighed inwardly when she felt the girl relax a moment later and put her head on the heiress's shoulder.

They stood there for what felt like eternity, and Weiss was once again brought back to when Red had done the same for her. She had stood in front of Weiss, looked her in the eye, and given her the first honest compliment the heiress had ever received. She hadn't wanted anything from Weiss and she wasn't trying to gain her favour, all Red had wanted was to comfort her and remind her of her worth. Not as a bargaining chip, or a negotiation tool, Red wanted to remind Weiss of her worth as a person. And now it was Weiss's turn to return the favour.

So she held Red and rub comforting circles into her back, and as she did so that warm tightness came back, and for the first time in a month, Weiss was truly and genuinely happy.

This morning had been a roller coaster from the get-go. From waking up to Weiss smiling down at her, to Weiss offering to make her breakfast, to spilling all insecurities out in front of the shorter woman, to being wrapped up in her arms. It was just… weird. But a good kind of weird. She knew that Weiss had issues with touching and displays of affection, which why it was so fun teasing her, and why this hug was more than just one friend comforting another. For Weiss to do this meant that, despite all her reservations, the heiress was making an effort to let Ruby in, and layer by layer, she was making her way through the icy walls the heiress had built around herself.

She nuzzled her head a little deeper into Weiss's shoulder and felt her shudder in return. It was becoming more and more clear that the attraction Ruby felt for her friend was being reciprocated, yet as she pulled away she noted the pained looked flash across the shorter woman's face momentarily and the pleasant moment was over. She didn't know what, but she knew something was troubling the heiress and she had a pretty good idea that it had something to do with the scar on her friend's face, and those that marred her torso in different places.

She sighed, the attraction may be mutual, but, right now, Weiss needed a friend more than anything else and until she worked past whatever was causing these inhibitions of hers, Ruby's feelings were gonna have to wait.

"Our eggs are getting cold," Ruby said before things could get awkward.

"Well than eat up, you dunce."

Ruby smiled and proceeded to scarf down what had to be the best scrambled eggs she had ever eaten. Afterwards, she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and sent Weiss to look through her clothes for something to borrow. She came out, teeth brushed and face washed, and was met with a sight that nearly made her burst out in laughter.

Weiss was standing in the middle of the room in a large t-shirt, not unlike the one Ruby was wearing, hanging off both shoulders so that one could see her bra straps and _just_ covering, if the creases and folds were any indication, a _spectacular_ ass. Ruby spent a little longer than was appropriate staring at that general area before a huff brought her attention northward.

In Weiss's hands were a pair of dark skinny jeans and a pair of denim cut-off shorts. On her face was a look of frustrated indecisiveness that could only be described as adorable.

"I'd go with the shorts, they'll fit better."

At the sound of Ruby's voice, Weiss turned around, and upon seeing her, immediately turned back around, but not before Ruby caught a glance of the glowing blush on her face.

"I-I know that!" Sure, Ruby had decided to wait until Weiss was ready to make a move, but that didn't mean she wasn't going tease every chance she got.

"Then what's the issue?" Ruby asked.

"I-I don't have much experience with clothing of this sort. E-especially not ones this…revealing," Weiss mumbled, resolutely keeping her gaze on the clothes in her hands and not on the confusion on Ruby's face.

"You mean, like, with jeans? 'Cause they're pretty much the same as any other pair of pants."

"No, you dolt! I don't have much experience with…pants…in general."

"Why not?" Ruby asked. How this girl could had gone twenty-one years, and with the funds she had access to as well, and not have worn pants was baffling.

"They are not suited for a lady." Weiss replied and for the second time that morning, her friend got a faraway look in her eye and it sounded more like someone was talking through the woman, instead of her coming up with the idea herself.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing neither of us are proper ladies, now isn't it?" Ruby said jokingly. This seemed to bring Weiss back to the present as she looked at the shorts and smiled. "You should wear them."

Weiss separated her attention from the shorts and looked at Ruby, that same insecurity she had seen in the heiress's eyes the night of the party a month ago was back, and Ruby made it her mission to rid her friend of it forever. "You think so?"

"Yeah," she said as she walked over to the bed and started to pick out clothes. "It'd look good on you." She proceeded to remove her shirt and start changing into a pair of shorts, a black V-neck, and a short-sleeved red hoodie that she zipped up to just above her bellybutton.

She turned around while changing and saw Weiss staring at her, short-shorts untouched, and smirked internally. Realising she'd been caught yet again, the shorter woman whipped around and started to get dressed herself. "You could go change in the bathroom, you know." She said to the wall.

Ruby smirked again before replying. "So I'm not modest. Bits of the con life bleed into my personal character, no matter how hard I try." She finished zipping up her hoodie and turned around to see Weiss facing away from her, arms crossed, glaring at the point where the wall met the ceiling. "There, all done. Now come on we've got work to do."


End file.
